My Father
by Serpent of Slytherin
Summary: A new girl has come to Hogwarts in Draco Malfoy's sixth year. Find out why she knows Severus Snape, and just who exactly is out to get revenge against her. DracoOC, NOW COMPLETE!
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can have fun with his world.

**A.N.** The bug bit me again to write, so I'm writing. I've been wanting to write my own fic for awhile, but, something always came up every time I went to write. So, now that I'm writing, let me just tell you that this will be about an OC, but in Harry's world. And this all is pre-HBP. Just so you know.

**My Father**

**Prologue**

Sarai Shulamith had an average life. Well, as normal a life you can lead while being a fully fledged witch.She lived with her mother in a small house in the countryside of France. Her mother, a skilled witch, had moved there shortly after finishing school at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But the great mystery was why her mother had fled everyone she had known in favor of a quiet, almost nonexistent life in the middle of nowhere. Her mother was a legend in her time at school. She was very crafty, and excelled in her charm work and transfiguration skills.

It was understandable then, that Sarai was equally skilled in these areas. But what baffled her was where she got her extraordinary potions skills. She could brew anything she set her mind to, even the most complex potions in her mother's old Potions book. Her mother refused to tell her what it meant, but Sarai knew it had to do with her father.

Sarai never knew her father. As far as she knew, he fell off the face of the planet. Her mother never spoke of him, and whenever she tried asking questions, her mother told her to drop it, she was better off without him.

Whenever her mother spoke to her in the harsh tone that she did when it came to the subject of her father, Sarai got the impression that he did something horrible. Maybe so horrible that her mother could never allow him to be her father. Maybe, and Sarai shuddered to even think about it, maybe he had done something truly awful, like join up with Voldemort, that power-crazy nutter who ran around killing people he thought were "impure."

Sarai tried to forget about him. She really did. But at night, when she couldn't sleep, she would lay awake and imagine him. She knew she had to look something like him. The only things she could see that she got from her mother were her eyes. She had large, lovely deep blue eyes. Her hair was so much unlike her mother's, which was a rich honey brown. Sarai's hair was the deepest black imaginable, and her face was not her mother's at all. Her nose, it was her nose that threw everything off. Oh sure, it was an okay nose, but how she wished it was something other than what it was! It was not the cute, little nose of her mother's. It was large, but not so large as to be noticeable. It had a slight curve to it, almost hook shaped, but not quite. Her mother assured her she was as pretty as they come, but Sarai wasn't so sure. She almost hated her father for giving her that nose. But she knew she should really hate him for not being there for her.

From the time she was ten, she had been attending Beauxbatons Academy to establish her magical skills. Now, as she sat on her bed in her dormitory, a lovely young woman of fifteen, she reread the letter that she had just received from the headmistress, Madame Maxime.

Sarai had been summoned to the headmistress's office after dinner that evening. Wondering what she could have possibly done, she made her way through Beauxbatons Castle to the statue of Merlin, who guarded the headmistress's office door.

"_Fleur blanche,"_ she muttered.

Merlin swung forward and Sarai trudged up the stairs leading to the office. She knocked three times before entering.

"Good evening, Madame Maxime."

"Ah, good evening. Please, take a seat, _mon cheri._"

Sarai perched on the edge of a chintz armchair in front of Madame's desk.

"I 'ave received a letter for you. 'Eet eez most troubling. _Mon cheri_, I am most sorry." Madame handed her the parchment she was holding.

Sarai's heart had started pounding a ceaseless beat, sending blood flowing wildly throughout her body. She reached out a shaking hand and took it. It was an unfamiliar scrawl.

_Sarai-_

_Your mother is ill. She's getting worse, and I'm afraid there is no chance of recovery. She's been asking for you. She wants to see you. Please, since the term is over shortly, hurry back. There's not much time left, and she wants to tell you something. She won't rest until she does. Don't waste time. _

_Madame Duchamps_

Sarai's mind went into a tailspin. Ill. Her mother was dying. She was about to become parentless. No. No, it couldn't be. Her mother was the healthiest person on earth. Oh Merlin. It was true. Her mother was slipping away. Tears stung her eyes. She looked up at Madame.

"M-Madame," she managed to croak out.

"'Eet eez all right. You may leave tomorrow. You are excused from ze final exams. Nothing will 'urt your grades. Everything will turn out, _mon cheri_. 'Eet will be all right."

Now Sarai sat on her bed, trying her hardest not to think. Her mother had to tell her something important, something she did not want to take with her to the grave. She shook her head, not wanting to think that perhaps in a few short days, or hours, she might be burying her mother, her guardian, the one person that had been there for her in all her fifteen years.

Sarai barely slept that night. She got up at dawn and made sure everything was packed and ready to return to the countryside. She went down to breakfast and ate a minimal amount of food. Before leaving the hall, she turned and looked around. Who knows if she would ever see the place again? Who knew where she would end up?

Madame Maxime met her in the entrance hall a few minutes later, once Sarai had dragged her trunk down from her dormitory and had said hasty good byes to her friends.

"I 'ave arranged for a Portkey for you to take back to your 'ome. Come," she beckoned imperiously.

Sarai followed her out onto the grounds and past the gates that flanked the drive up to the castle. Just before she took hold of the Portkey, she took a final look around. Her home of five years. She would miss it.

With a tug around her naval, she was pulled onward, speeding through the air, until she hit the ground again. She straightened up, tugging her robes down around her and grabbing her trunk. She turned towards her home, wondering, would her mother still be there when she walked in?

Her neighbor, and the author of the letter, Madame Duchamps, met her at the door.

"My child," she sniffed. "Come, there's not much time."

She followed Madame into the cool darkness of the house. She stopped outside her mother's bedroom.

"Go on, she needs you," Madame urged quietly.

Sarai stepped in quietly, her breath catching in her throat. Her mother hardly looked the same. Her skin seemed to just hang on her bones, she had lost so much weight. She was as pale as death, and her breathing rattled with every breath.

"Mother," she whispered, kneeling at her mother's side and taking her hand before kissing it.

It was cold.

"Mother, I'm here."

Her mother's eyes fluttered opened. She managed a trembling smile. "Sarai," she barely whispered.

"Mother, I love you, I-"

"Shhhh. Don't, we don't say good bye, remember?"

Sarai nodded, her eyes welling with tears and her throat closing up.

"Sarai, I need to tell you something. I can go quietly once I get this off my chest." Every breath was costing her effort, it was one more breath she lost. It was coming, she could feel it.

"Mother, don't speak, please-"

"Sarai, when I'm gone, someone will come for you. Go with them, they will take you to your father."

Sarai froze. "My father?"

Her mother's eyes closed. "Just listen to them. You will be safe. It is not good to be alone in this world anymore."

Sarai's tears spilled over her lids. "Mother," she whispered.

"I love you Sarai."

"I love-" Sarai began, but stopped.

Her mother's rattling breaths quit. Her grip on Sarai's hand went limp.

"Mother? Mama? Mama, come back, come back, I need you!" Sarai begged, quietly sobbing. She shook her mother's hand.

Her mother was gone.

Madame Duchamps came in. "Oh dear child, I'm sorry."

Sarai managed to gasp through her tears, "Go away. Please, just leave us alone. Go, please."

Madame left quietly.

Sarai spent the rest of the day kneeling by the finest person she had ever known. Her mother, her guardian, her best friend. The only one who ever understood her. They had been so close, they were like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

And now she was alone.

**Hey everyone! Hope you liked it! This if my first fic, just so you all know. And yes, it does start off slow, but it will get better. I'll keep the updates coming pretty frequently, all I ask is that you guys let me know how I'm doing! Thanks!**


	2. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can have fun with his world.

**A.N. **Once again, this is pre-HBP.

**My Father**

**Chapter One**

I don't want to think. Ever again. No more. My mother, gone. My father, who the hell knows where he is? I sure as hell don't. My mother told me that once she was gone, someone would come for me and take me to my father. But I wasn't about to go. Oh no, not me. Why the hell should I care if my father's still alive? He certainly didn't care if I was. He never came to find my mother, or to meet me. Screw him. I sure as hell didn't need him.

Madame Duchamps had gone to fetch some of the neighboring men. She returned with them, and together, they tried to talk some sense into me. I didn't want to put my mother into the ground. Not yet anyways. I wasn't ready to let go. It hadn't gotten through to me that I was truly alone, and that maybe, just maybe, my mother would wake up and everything would be okay.

In the end, Madame had told me that I was being irrational, and that my mother would not want me acting this way. One of the men had transfigured a branch into a nice coffin for my mother, and we buried her with her best quilt under her favorite tree. One of the other men transfigured a rock into a beautiful headstone for her grave. They all left me there, to say my good byes to her on my own terms.

"What happened, Mama?" I whispered as I knelt by her grave. "How did this happen? Why did you have to leave me all alone?"

I wasn't sure how long I sat there with my mother. I thought I was quite alone. That is, until a man's voice, quite unlike my neighbors, spoke behind me.

"Sarai."

I jumped up and turned to face the intruder. An old man, quite old by my standards, stood before me. He had long white hair, and an equally long white beard. He wore long, deep blue robes and a pointed wizard's hat. He was very tall, and had piercing blue eyes that hid behind half-moon spectacles that sat on a long crooked nose. Despite of his bizarre appearance, I was comforted by the fact that this man was clearly a wizard, he somehow knew me, and he looked quite nice.

"H-hello." I stammered out.

"Do you know me?"

"I don't believe so, no."

"My name is Albus Dumbledore."

Ah, yes, Dumbledore. My mother had often spoken of him. He was the headmaster of Hogwarts in her final year at the school. He was something of a hero to my mother, and she revered him in all that he did. She told me that he had founded a group that rebelled and fought bravely against Lord Voldemort in the times that he was most active.

"Hello, sir."

He smiled at me kindly. "I'm so very sorry for your loss. Your mother was a very fine witch, very skilled, very smart. She was something like my favorite student when she was at school."

I bowed my head. "Thank you, sir."

"I am wondering, could we perhaps go back to your house? We need to discuss some things."

"Of course. Follow me."

I led him inside and motioned for him to sit down in the kitchen.

"Can I get you anything sir? Tea? Coffee?"

"No, thank you, child. I don't want to burden you further. You've had a hard day."

"It's no trouble sir, none at all." I said, sitting down across from him at the table.

He did not speak for several minutes, instead, he was looking around, admiring the home that my mother had made for us.

"Your mother did very well for herself."

"Yes, she did. I was never unhappy here."

"You never questioned about your father?" he asked, almost sharply.

My head snapped up. At last, I knew that he was the person my mother had said would come for me. To take me to my father. My anger flared suddenly. I would not go. No.

"I did. My mother never told me about him. She didn't like to discuss him."

Dumbledore sighed. "Yes, I rather thought that's how it would be. But you cannot stay here, Sarai. It is not safe to be on your own anymore. Especially you. Not now, what with Voldemort active once more."

I looked at him closely. "Sir, I do not wish to live with my father. I do not know the man, nor do I wish to. He never seemed to care about my mother, nor about me."

"I know how you must feel, Sarai, but it's for your own good. And who said anything about living with him? I merely was going to suggest coming with me to stay at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Perhaps, in due time, you would like to meet him. I wish you would come."

"What, leave here?"

"Not permanently. You may keep the house as your own, but come and stay at the headquarters for now. I wish for you to attend Hogwarts as well. It would be easier to keep an eye on you then."

"Who's after me?" I asked, realizing there was a reason for this.

"There is no reason to wonder that. It is simply unsafe for you to be on your own. And I wish for you to meet your father. I will not take no for an answer," he said, looking sternly over his spectacles at me.

"When do I have to go?"

"Preferably tonight."

"I suppose I have no choice then?"

"That would be wise to say," the old man said, his eyes twinkling.

I stood up. "I'd best go pack up then."

I walked into my room, looking around at all the familiar items. I didn't want to go, I really, really did not want to go. But this man, this Dumbledore, he seemed to know what he was talking about. And despite what he said, that no one was after me, I had a nagging suspicion that this was false. I didn't exactly want to wait around for someone to come kill me. I didn't want to die. If you would have asked me this a few hours ago, I might have said something different, but I realize now that my mother would want what's best for me, and Dumbledore seemed to care.

I waved my wand around and organized things. I conjured boxes from nowhere and began putting things in them, to keep safe. I packed up anything I would need to take with me to live in the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix and to take with me to go to my new school, Hogwarts.

I dragged all my necessities out to stand by the front door. I waved my wand around some more to pack up other things for safe keeping and made the house was locked up. Dumbledore came out to see me, waiting by the door, ready to leave.

"All packed?"

"Yes sir."

"Then let us leave. But first, I shall send your things ahead." He waved his wand in some complicated ways, and my things vanished.

"Have you Apparated before?"

"No sir."

He held out his arm. "Take hold of my arm. I will guide you."

I held his arm. I felt him turn away and tightened my hold. Instantly, I felt as though I was being compressed in all directions. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't scream, I couldn't move.

And then it was over. I heaved great gulps of air, glorious, cool night air. I looked around. We were hundreds of miles away from my home. We were in front of some decrepit old houses that looked as though they were abandoned.

Dumbledore led the way up to the oldest and moldiest looking house. I looked at him as though he was crazy. I was staying here?

Before he opened the door, he turned and looked at me.

"Welcome to number twelve, Grimmauld Place. The home to the Order of the Phoenix."

He led me inside and shut the door.

"We must always be quiet when in this hall. We don't want to wake anything. Follow me."

I followed him up a flight of stairs and into what appeared to be the drawing room. He told me to sit down in one of the many faded, squashed armchairs and then told me he would be back shortly with something for me to eat.

I looked around. This was definitely a miserable house. It had seen better years. There was a large, sprawling family tree on a tapestry on the far wall. I got up to take a closer look.

By the looks of it, it belonged to a family called Black. It was very large and very detailed, spanning back to the Middle Ages. I looked all over it eagerly. My mother had once told me that pureblood families were often interrelated, since there was a lack of pureblood wizards left in the world. My mother never did tell me if we were pureblood or not. It didn't really matter to me. I was a witch, wasn't I? That's all that mattered.

I didn't see anyone that looked remotely related to me, so I walked back over to my chair and flopped miserably onto it. This had been the day from hell. I wake up miserable at my school, Portkey home, my mother dies, I find myself all alone, and then, I end up here. Could my life suck any more?

Dumbledore appeared with a tray full of food. "Believe me, you will not go hungry here. Mrs. Weasley's cooking is wonderful.

I looked up, a roll halfway to my mouth. "Mrs. Weasley?"

"Ah yes, that's right. I didn't tell you. Besides you, the Weasley family and a few others are staying here. They help out the Order. The Weasley's youngest children, Ronald and Ginevra, go to Hogwarts. You'll be in Ronald's year, Ginevra is a year younger. Their friends Harry Potter and Hermione Granger are here also. I daresay you know about Harry?"

I nodded, stuffing the roll into my mouth. I was suddenly ravenous. The bright side to all this was I now had some people my age here. Maybe I'd make some friends before going off to a new school. And Harry Potter. Well, this was certainly interesting. My mother had told me all about him. He was quite fascinating.

Dumbledore was watching me. "Are you ready to meet your father?"

I gagged a little on my roll. "Now?"

"There has never been a better time."

"Oh, sir, you'll ruin my appetite."

Dumbledore chuckled. "I assure you, he's not nearly as bad as you think he is."

"Right," I muttered.

"I'll bring him in. Of course, I haven't exactly told him you're here, but he'll accept it." Dumbledore said brightly.

I stared after the old man as he exited the room once more. This couldn't be good. My father didn't know I was here. Oh Merlin. This would not be good.

I sat there, picking at my food, until Dumbledore returned. I didn't look up at first.

"Sarai. I want you to meet someone."

I made myself look up. A man, maybe in his late thirties, early forties, stared back at me. Long, greasy hair framed his long, thin face. His black eyes, cold and empty, surveyed me. A cruel smile played on his lips. And his nose, oh dear. There was her nose. Right smack in the middle of his face. Of course, hers was not nearly as hook shaped as his, but, dear God. It was right there. _Oy._

I gulped. This man did not look happy, not happy at all. And it was all magnified ten times worse than it was by the fact that this here was indeed my father. I stood up, and moved slowly towards him. I surveyed him like he was surveying me. He was not a very attractive man. He was tall, almost too thin. His greasy hair looked like you could fry an egg on it. _Oh boy._ He had a slight goatee thing going on. It didn't do much.

'What the hell was my mother thinking? She _slept_ with this guy? What the hell kind of spell was she under?' I thought incredulously.

"Severus? You remember, the conversation I had with you a few days ago?" Dumbledore said gently.

The man barely inclined his head, still looking at me. I refused to look away.

"Well, her mother has died. She has nowhere else to go, and I'd prefer to have her here, where she will be safe."

I couldn't tell whether my father knew that I was his daughter, his own flesh and blood. I shuddered. I came from this man. My mother, and, and him. . ._slept_ together. Okay, bad mental pictures forming here. I shook my head, trying to clear my mind. Ahhh.

Dumbledore looked over at me. "Sarai, I'd like you to meet your father, Severus Snape."

The man looked over at Dumbledore, his mouth open and his eyes wide. He was shocked. Oh dear. He really didn't know. Meh, oh well. Serves him right. Stupid bastard, didn't even try to contact my mother.

"My. . .daughter?" he croaked out.

"Yes, Severus, your daughter. Your own flesh and blood." Dumbledore said softly.

The man looked back at me. "How did this happen?" he whispered.

**Hi guys! Sorry it's taken so long for me to update! My computer's been on the fritz, and it wouldn't let me upload files to a disk so I could update on my sis's comp! But now everything's all fixed with mine, so, on with the story! Reviews, please, so I know what you guys think! And check out my other story, titled _Come What May._ Thanks guys!**


	3. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can have fun with his world.

**A.N. **I decided to keep Sirius Black alive. I loathed J.K. Rowling when she killed him off, so now, I'm keeping him alive. Admit it, you want him alive too. You know you do.

**My Father**

**Chapter Two**

**Snape's POV**

Well, this was certainly a blow to the face. I have a daughter. How in the hell did this happen? Oh yes, I remember now, I was stupid enough to let myself fall for the prettiest girl in my year at Hogwarts. And somehow, she fell for me. And worse yet, she wasn't even a Slytherin! Stupid, stupid, stupid! How could you be so stupid Severus!

It was bliss, those few months I was with her. I had never been loved before by either of my parents, so when this girl had shown an interest in me, I was floored. Why did she fall for me? She could have anyone, even that Muggle-loving fool James Potter. Oh, how I loathed the man. He certainly had shown an interest in her before falling for Lily Evans. But no, she had chosen me.

And now here was a product of our love. Standing before me, my own child. Merlin. As I looked at her, this girl, this Sarai, as Dumbledore called her, I saw she retained some vestiges of her mother. Her eyes, that's what stood out the most. She had her mother's eyes. And my nose, poor girl, she had my nose, but not as prominent. The hair, it was the same color as mine, though might I say, she actually cared what it looked like. It shone brightly, and not from grease.

Dumbledore looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to say something.

"My. . .daughter?" I croaked out.

"Yes, Severus, you daughter. Your own flesh and blood," Dumbledore said softly.

I looked back at this girl. "How did this happen?" I whispered.

The girl looked coldly up at me. Oh boy. That look, it was enough to freeze blood. I felt a short-lived moment of pride.

'She obviously gets that from me,' I thought gleefully.

"Well, you see, it happened when you and my mother. . .ugh! I can't even think about that! You and my mother. . .wow, I cannot even bring myself to go there. You disgust me! I hate you!" She fumed.

And rightfully so. I'd hate me too, if I was her. I hadn't bothered to find her mother after she disappeared from my life after graduation. Of course, I had a very good reason not to. My master had threatened me. He told me if I went after her, she, and I, would be as good as dead. As he put it, how dare I fall for a foolish Muggle-born, someone not even willing to lick the scum off his boots? Muggle-borns were the most despised forms of people to Voldemort.

But I had loved her. Oh Merlin, did I love her. I proved it to her, that one night. There was nothing else like it. But it all had gone horribly wrong when she noticed my left forearm.

"What the hell is that?" she had shrieked at me.

I had tried to explain. It was all for the greater cause. But she didn't buy it. She called me a hypocrite.

"You idiot! How dare you stand here and preach to me the greater good of the '_cause'_ when I'm a filthy Muggle-born! How could you go and join ranks with him when you say you love me! If you loved me, you wouldn't have that God-awful mark on your arm! I hope you screw up! I really do! I hate you! You obviously don't care about me! Go back to your master! Merlin knows it's what you're dying to do!"

That was the last time that I had seen her. I tried to approach her, but each time I tried, she would run off and her friends would threaten me.

"Sarai, what I did was wrong," I tried to reason with her in a calm voice.

"Don't even talk to me! How can you even think about trying to be father to me? Did you even know I existed?"

I stood there, staring at her, dumbstruck. Did I know she had even existed? Did I? I thought hard. I had heard a rumor, more like a whisper between her friends at the very end of our final year, that she was pregnant and heartbroken. But I had chosen not to believe it. It had to have been some joke, some plot to get back at me, and attempt to get me to abandon my master.

"I had heard a rumor that your mother was pregnant. But I didn't believe it," I said finally.

She stood there, staring a hole in me. 'Damn, this girl has a look that kills.' I thought proudly again.

"I loathe you," she whispered in a deadly voice.

"I don't blame you," I said.

"Don't try to get on my good side! You'll never be my father! I don't care what they say! If you cared, you would have tried to find us! But you didn't!"

"Sarai-"

"How dare you even speak my name! Leave me alone! Go to hell!" She shouted at me before storming out of the room.

I stood there, dumbstruck. She obviously gets her temper from me as well. I turned to Dumbledore.

"That went well," I practically spat.

Dumbledore looked at me sympathetically. "Severus, past mistakes have always proven fatal. Give it time. She will feel alone, once the shock of her mother's death has worn off. She will need someone. And that is when she will need you the most."

He swept out of the room, leaving me to ponder what the hell I was going to do about this girl. We were too much alike. It was scary. What was I going to do about this?

**Sarai's POV**

He disgusts me. I hate him. I absolutely, bloody hate him. How dare he try to get on my good side! How dare he speak my name, as though he loved me! He doesn't love me! He proved that fifteen years ago when he let my mother get away.

I sat in a dark corner in the hall where Dumbledore had first led me in, fuming. I was so angry, I couldn't think straight.

Dumbledore appeared a few minutes later. He looked down at me through his spectacles.

"I understand your anger Sarai, but I think it might have been a tad unwise to tell him to go to hell."

I looked up at him. "I hate him, sir. I really do. He abandoned us!"

To my surprise, Dumbledore sat down in the dust beside me. "Sarai, he made a bad mistake fifteen years ago. He chose not to believe what he had heard. He was young, and foolish. He tried to evade responsibility."

"Stupid git."

"Perhaps it would be best if we distracted you from this meeting for a few minutes. Would you like to meet your classmates?"

"All right," I replied grudgingly.

I allowed Dumbledore to assist me in getting up before following him through a door and down some stairs into what I assumed was the basement of the house. As I descended the stairs, I heard cheerful babble and laughter. People having fun. People whose lives had not just been uprooted. Must be nice, not to have a care in the world.

It appeared that this room was the kitchen. There were plenty of people sitting at the long table, eating, having a good time. However, they all froze when we entered. They all looked from me to Dumbledore and back again. This was starting to get annoying.

There were a few people there with red hair. They all appeared to be related. Interesting. There was a boy my age, with jet black, untidy hair and glasses. A girl, also my age, sat next to him, her brown hair long and bushy. And one of those redheaded people, also a boy my age sat next to her. They all looked at me.

"Everyone, this is Sarai. I spoke of her arrival a little while ago. She decided she wanted to meet all of you. She'll be attending Hogwarts with you this year." Dumbledore introduced me.

A woman stood up from the table. She was short, a little on the plump side, but had a kind face. She came over and shook my hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, dear. Did you eat the food I sent up with Dumbledore?"

I remembered abandoning the food when I decided to yell at my father. "Not exactly."

"You must be starved then! Sit down, and help yourself, dear. I'm Mrs. Weasley."

I sat down at an open spot at the end of the table. "Thank you, it's a pleasure to meet you too."

Mrs. Weasley sat back down and began pointing at all the people.

"This is my husband, Arthur." A man with flaming red hair and glasses waved at me from further down the table.

"This is Ron, Ginny, Harry, and Hermione." She pointed at the teens across the table from me. They all smiled and waved.

"This is Sirius Black. This is his house, he generously gave us for headquarters." A man with long black hair smiled at me from directly across from me and shook my hand.

"That's Remus Lupin next to him." A man, prematurely aged, shook my hand.

"And you know Dumbledore. Well, eat everyone!"

I reached for anything around me and began to eat. I hadn't eaten since eating at Beauxbatons early this morning. It was all very good. Dumbledore was right, I wasn't about to go hungry while staying here.

I was very full and sleepy by the time I had finished. Mrs. Weasley got up to clear everything away, and I got up to help her.

"Oh nonsense, dear. I'll manage this. It's no trouble. You just run along with the girls upstairs and get some sleep."

I turned to where the two girls were waiting for me by the door. I smiled at them, and received grins back.

"Good night everyone." I said.

I followed the girls up the stairs to the hall.

"I'm Ginny," the girl with flaming red hair introduced herself.

"A pleasure, I'm Sarai."

"And I'm Hermione," the girl with bushy hair said.

"Nice to meet you."

"So why are you here?" Ginny asked.

"My mother died this morning. Dumbledore said I had to come here to live. It's not safe on my own."

"I'm sorry." Both girls said.

"It's okay. She was really sick, there was no chance."

"What about your father?" Hermione asked softly.

"Let's just say he hasn't taken an active part in my life. Ever." I said grimly.

"That's sad," Ginny said.

"I'm not too chuffed about it, to be truthful." I said.

We entered a room off the third landing. A couple of beds stood, and aside from a wardrobe, there wasn't much to the decor.

"Welcome to your new home." Ginny said.

My trunk stood by the wardrobe. I opened it and pulled out some pajamas and got into them. I collapsed onto a bed and pulled the moth-eaten covers over me.

"So you're going to Hogwarts this year?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah. Should be interesting."

"Where did you come from originally?" Ginny asked.

"Countryside in France. I went to Beauxbatons," I answered.

"Was it nice there?" Hermione asked.

"The only place I ever knew. I liked France."

"I've been there on holiday before. It's very nice," Hermione agreed.

"So any idea what house you'll be in?" Ginny asked curiously.

"House?" I asked, puzzled.

"There's four houses in Hogwarts: Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. We're in Gryffindor. No one really wants to be in Slytherin, they turn out the most Dark wizards. Hufflepuff's okay, they're a bunch of weirdos. Ravenclaw's okay too, they're pretty smart, typically." Ginny explained.

"Oh. We never had houses in Beauxbatons. We were just assigned dormitories according to our last names."

"Should be interesting then. Hope you're in Gryffindor." Hermione said.

"Yeah, it'd be nice." I said, before rolling over and dropping off to sleep.


	4. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Three**

I awoke the next morning feeling slightly better than the day before. Though my mother was gone, I knew she would not truly leave me. And I had to move on. I knew I had to find the strength to deal with my father and perhaps even one day forgive him. Fat chance.

I got up and dressed. Ginny and Hermione were still asleep. I wandered down to the kitchen, where I found Mrs. Weasley fixing breakfast and Sirius and Remus in a hushed conversation. Harry and Ron were nowhere to be seen.

"Good morning, everyone." I yawned.

"Good morning, Sarai. Did you sleep well?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Much better than the night before. I feel much better today."

"That's good. Are you hungry, dear?"

"As always."

I sat down at the table. Mrs. Weasley set a plate down loaded with scrambled eggs, kippers, and toast.

"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley."

"Not a problem, dear."

I ate in silence and cleared my plate. I took it over to the sink just as the kitchen door opened again, revealing Ron, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione.

"Morning," I greeted them.

"M-m-morning," Ron said through a yawn.

They all sat down and ate breakfast. Since I had nothing better to do, I sat with them and talked.

"You play Quidditch?" Ron asked.

"Not really played. Just more like messed around on my broom with my friends in my free time at school."

"Quidditch team?" Harry asked.

"England and Luxembourg."

"Why are you here, anyways?" Ron asked bluntly.

"My mother died yesterday, and I had no where else to go."

"What about your father?" Harry asked through a mouthful of toast.

"Never been around."

I honestly don't know why I am not telling them that my father is that git, Severus Snape. I really don't. Something told me not to.

"So you're going to Hogwarts now?" Ron asked.

"Yes."

"Know which house you'll be in?"

"Not a clue."

"Better be Gryffindor. The rest are a bunch of-"

But what exactly the rest of the houses were, I had no clue. At that precise moment, the doorbell sounded from above, followed by a bloodcurdling scream.

"What in the bloody hell was that?" I exclaimed.

"Excuse me," Sirius muttered as he and Remus swept out of the room.

"That's Sirius' mother's portrait. She hates having us blood traitors in her house." Hermione said.

"Interesting."

Sirius, and Remus returned a few minutes later, accompanied by Dumbledore.

Dumbledore sat down next to me. "How are you today?"

"Pretty good," I answered truthfully.

"Are you adjusting well?"

"Very well. I was just discussing Quidditch with Ron and Harry, actually."

Dumbledore smiled. "That's a good thing. Are you terribly busy at the moment?"

I shrugged. "Not really, sir. Why?"

Dumbledore pulled a frayed and ancient wizard's hat from under his cloak.

"I was wondering if you would object to the Sorting Hat sorting you into your house now, rather than with the first years at the Sorting Feast at the beginning of the term."

Again, I shrugged. "Might as well do it now as ever. Besides, who wants to be put in a league with all the titchy first years?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Very well. Do you mind doing it here?"

"Not at all."

He placed the hat on my head. I sat there, patiently, wondering how this hat was supposed to determine where I would be placed.

"Ah, but I'm smarter than the average hat," a small voice spoke in my ear.

I jumped. "Is the hat supposed to talk to me?"

Everyone laughed.

"Hmmmm. Well then. There certainly is a quantity of knowledge here. Very developed magic skills you have. And banging good potions skills. My, yes. And a good amount of bravery. That helps. Hm, but where to put you? I see the nobility of Gryffindor in you, but the thirst for knowledge of Ravenclaw. And then there's the bravery and cunning of Slytherin as well. Hm, decisions, decisions."

I sat there, waiting for it to tell me where I would be placed. Merlin, I hope it's not Slytherin.

"Not Slytherin, eh? And why not? You would do well there."

I snorted. This hat was starting to get on my nerves. 'Just decide already,' I thought irritably.

"All right, all right, I'm getting there. Well, since you've given me no reasonable objection as to why you don't want to be in Slytherin, then Slytherin it is!" The hat cried.

The others quit laughing and stared at me, wide-eyed and horrified.

'Oh joy.' I thought.

Dumbledore beamed at me. "Very nicely done. Slytherin is a noble place to be. And interestingly enough. . ." but he broke off.

"Interestingly enough what, sir?" I asked.

He looked at me, trying to phrase what he was about to say in a way that wouldn't upset me.

"It is Severus' house. He's head of Slytherin, and he was in Slytherin when he was at school."

"Oh this is just perfect," I muttered sourly.

"Well then, now that this is settled, I have other business to attend to. Good day to you all." Dumbledore said, before sweeping out of the room.

The others were staring at me.

"You know Snape?" Harry asked, interested.

"You could say that,"I said bitterly.

"How?" Ginny asked curiously.

I looked up at them all. Even Sirius and Remus were looking at me curiously.

"Oh all right. Since you _must_ know. The stupid git's my father."

You could have heard a pin drop. All their jaws dropped.

"You have got to be kidding." Ron finally sputtered out.

"Nope. Not kidding," I said grimly.

"Blimey," Harry managed out.

"Oh I pity you," Sirius said.

"Thanks. Believe me, I'm not happy about it either,"I muttered.

"You don't look happy about it. Did you not know or something?" Ron asked.

Hermione gave him a dirty look. "Ron, you are the most insufferable person I know."

"What?" Ron asked indignantly.

"Isn't it obvious?" she shot back.

"Isn't what obvious?"

"That she didn't know!"

"Oh." Ron looked at me. "You didn't know?"

I snorted. "No Ron, I didn't. Not until yesterday."

"Oh. Blimey. Sorry," he muttered.

"Slytherin. I ask of you. Why me? Why in the bloody hell did I have to get stuck in bloody Slytherin?" I asked, to no one in particular.

"Severus's blood must be more dominant over your mother's," Remus spoke up.

"Joy," I muttered sarcastically.

This was not going to shape up to be a good year.


	5. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Four**

The rest of the summer passed in a flurry of activity. On day, post owls arrived bearing letters from Hogwarts. There was one for everyone. I opened mine and pulled out several sheets of paper. Two of them contained a list of supplies and books that I would need for the upcoming year. The other was a letter from Dumbledore.

_Dear Miss Shulamith-_

_It has come to my attention from your father that a certain Slytherin girl cannot handle the title of prefect any longer. Since there is no longer a girl prefect from Slytherin house any longer, I must choose a new one. I'm hoping that you do not object to this title, it is rather easy to manage. If you have any questions about it at all, ask Mr. Weasley or Miss Granger, as they are both prefects for Gryffindor house and would therefore know about this. _

_Albus Dumbledore_

I looked up from the parchment. Prefect? What the bloody hell is that? And how convenient is that, to be made a prefect of the house that my bloody father is in charge of?

"Hermione, what the bloody hell is a prefect?" I turned around and asked her.

She looked up from her letter. She didn't comprehend at first, but then her eyes grew wide.

"Ooh! Have you been made a prefect? Oh how fantastic! Ron, Ron! Sarai's a prefect now too!"

Ron looked over at me, a grin on his face. "Brilliant."

"So what is a prefect?" I asked impatiently.

"We have the task of watching over everyone in the school. We're lower than Head Boy and Girl of course, but if we catch people misbehaving, we can take away house points. It all rather simple. I'll explain it to you later." Hermione said.

"Oh, okay."

I get to discipline people? Ooh, this doesn't sound half bad. Obviously, Dumbledore didn't know that I had a horrible weakness for power. Hmmmm, this sounds kinda fun.

Mrs. Weasley came around for our lists. "I'll go to Diagon Alley later and get everything that you all need. Let's see here," she muttered, looking distracted.

"Oh, Sarai," she called as we were leaving the kitchen.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley?"

"You need robes dear. Black. I need your measurements. And I'll pick you up some dress robes too, unless you just want to wear your old Beauxbatons robes."

I wrote down my measurements on a spare bit of parchment. "Um, actually, I think I'd like some new dress robes. Could you get them a pale gold and pink? And satin? Please?"

"Of course dear. I'll be sure to get them for you. Anything else from you lot?" she asked the others.

There was a murmured chorus of no's.

Mrs. Weasley went off for the rest of the day to shop for our things while we spent the day playing wizard's chess and Exploding Snap.

That's pretty much how the last two weeks before school went. We spent some time decontaminating the rest of the house, and a good deal of time eating. The rest was spent in a haze of enjoying the last of our time off.

The day finally came. September first. I dreaded it, and looked forward to it at the same time. Once at school, I would be in close proximity with my father at all times. Dammit.

We got to King's Cross with ten minutes to spare before boarding the train.

"There's a Platform 9 3/4?" I asked, looking between platforms nine and ten, not seeing anything.

"Of course. Follow me, and don't be afraid you'll crash," Hermione said, wheeling her trolley around to face the solid barrier between the two platforms.

"Hermione?"

"Come on!" she called over her shoulder.

We walked at a steady pace towards the barrier. Oh boy. We're gonna run into it. Closer. . .closer, closer it came. I closed my eyes and held my breath. Any second we were going to run into it, and then we'd be in trouble.

But we never ran into the barrier. I opened my eyes, and received a shock. There was a scarlet steam engine sitting on the tracks in front of us.

"The barrier is the gate?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes," Hermione said, making way for the others, who came behind us.

We all hauled our trunks onto the train and came back to the windows to say one final good bye to Mrs. Weasley, who was getting teary again.

"Thanks for everything, Mrs. Weasley." I said.

"It was nothing, dear. Come back for the holidays!" she called as the train pulled out of the station.

"Right, well, shall we go find the prefect's compartment?" Ron asked as the train rounded a corner and the platform disappeared from sight.

"Prefect's compartment?" I asked.

"Yeah, we go get our orders from the Head Boy and Girl."

"Okay."

I followed Hermione and Ron down the corridor. People were looking at me curiously, having never seen me before. I ignored them and concentrated on getting through the crowd of people and not losing Ron and Hermione.

They stopped outside a compartment near the front of the train.

"Ready?" Hermione asked.

"Bring it on," I said in a determined voice.

Ron slid the door open and we stepped inside. We were some of the first ones there. There was no one else in the compartment, other than a pale-haired guy who was slouched in the seat near the window. He looked up as we entered, sneering. But then he saw me. The sneer instantly cleared.

My breath caught as I looked at this guy. Damn, they definitely did not make them like that at Beauxbatons. And God could he wear a pair of pants. His eyes were a beautiful blue-gray, like ice. Merlin, he was beautiful in every way. But then I caught the looks on Hermione and Ron's faces. They wore equal looks of disgust and contempt.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Weasel and Mudblood. What a shame, you made it through the summer. And I was actually hoping. Tut, tut. I guess we can't everything we want." The guy spoke in a drawling voice.

My anger flared again. I knew that 'mudblood' was an extremely offensive name for someone of Muggle descent or a half-blood. How dare he call Hermione that!

"Sod off," I said quietly.

"Oho! The new one dares speak to me! Well, I definitely didn't expect that from you. You might want to be a little more friendly in the future." The guy said.

"I 'dare' speak to you? Yeah, right, okay, I get it. You're one of those guys that thinks he's tough shit around here, aren't you?" I sized him up and down. "You're not much to me."

He stepped closer to me. I held my ground and stared up into those beautiful eyes. Damn him for being such a bastard and being so damn fine!

He reached out a hand to brush a stray lock of hair out of my eyes. His fingers slid down the contour of my jaw line. "Yeah, well, guess what? You're not much either. I could break you like that." He suddenly snapped his fingers right in front of my eyes.

I whipped my wand out. "You arrogant little-"

Hermione and Ron forced my wand away and pushed me down in a seat as the door slid open again and the rest of the prefects came in with the Head Boy and Girl.

"You don't want to mess with Malfoy, he'll make your life hell," Ron whispered to me as the Head Boy doled out instructions to everyone.

I didn't listen to the Head Boy one bit. My mind was reeling. Okay, stupid, arrogant bastard messes with my friends. But the little berk is so. . .hot. Ugh. Stop it, Sarai. You're making this hard.

'Speak for yourself," a little voice in the back of my head spoke. 'You know he's hot. He also represents everything you like in a guy. Admit it, you like those bad boy types.'

No, no, no! Stop it! Dammit, I'm already hooked. The way he can wear those jeans. Okay, quit drooling. Oh, and he's so damn muscular. Gah! ENOUGH!

'Come on, Sarai, you know you want him,' that sneaky little voice spoke again.

So what if I do? Is that morally wrong? Is it?

'You know it isn't. He's just like every other guy, just a little mean,' the voice said.

SHUT UP! Merlin, how the hell am I supposed to think around here?

"Okay, that about does it. Carry on," the Head Girl dismissed us.

"Right, so what are we supposed to do?" I asked vaguely as we filed out of the compartment.

"Patrol the corridors from time to time. Other than that, we're free. Let's go find Harry and the rest of them," Hermione suggested.

We filed down the corridors, peering into each compartment, looking for the others. People looked back eagerly, hearing there was a new girl on the train. And not just a first year, but a sixth year! Gasp, the very thought!

"So what's up with this Malfoy guy?" I asked.

"Ooh, he is the foulest person at school. Him and his little cronies. Absolutely foul," Hermione scowled.

"Little? Hermione, have you seen Crabbe and Goyle lately?" Ron asked.

"Oh you know what I mean." Hermione said crossly.

"What house is he?" I asked nervously, somehow knowing the answer.

"Slytherin." Ron groaned. "Sorry, Sarai. You're stuck with him."

"Damn," I muttered.

Inside though, there was a wild celebration going on. I'M IN HIS HOUSE! I'M IN HIS HOUSE! Okay, calm down. You're supposed to hate him. He hates your friends, remember?

'But that doesn't mean he necessarily hates you,' the sneaky voice awoke again.

True, but how well would that work? They hate him, he hates them, and I'd be stuck in the middle. Wait a minute! Slow down, Sarai, you're already planning the damn wedding. Ugh, damn it all to fucking hell.

The train ride was uneventful. Malfoy did not turn up to torment the others like he normally would do on any other given train ride, according to Harry. This surprised everyone.

Ron, Hermione, and I got up to patrol the corridors every once and a while, telling off the first years who were tearing around acting like idiots.

"Do that again, and I'll make sure you don't see the light of day again," I said in a deadly voice to a titchy little first year who dared to cheek me.

Soon, we were pulling into Hogsmeade Station. We hurried out, trying to get to a carriage quickly, as the weather was horrid. Rain fell in gusty sheet, soaking us to the bone within seconds. Lightning forked across the sky, momentarily blinding us. Thunder rumbled, the wind blew, it was awful.

We climbed into a carriage and set off towards the castle. I shivered slightly in my robes, which were soaked through.

We rounded a curve in the road, and I got my first glimpse of my new school. A castle, very large, very complex, loomed out in front of us.

I sighed with delight. It wasn't like Beauxbatons, but it sure as hell would serve it's purpose. I knew I would be homesick, but I would get over it due time.

In the meantime, I had to figure out that damn fool Draco Malfoy.


	6. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Five**

We walked into the castle, shivering and sopping wet. I looked around eagerly. This was one hell of a place. I could tell I would feel right at home. The entrance hall was very large; you could have fit a large house in it.

The others led me into what they called the Great Hall. It was enormous. Four long tables stood under thousands of floating candles that lit the place. The ceiling was enchanted to look like the sky, and as I looked at it, occasional lightning forked across it as purple and black clouds swirled around. There was one long staff table at the front of the hall, overlooking the rest of the tables. Most of the staff was seated already, including, cough,_ bastard_, my father. I glowered at him as his gaze rested upon me for a few seconds.

I realized that everyone in the hall was staring at me. Oh, how I would love to just tell them all to fuck off right now. My friends were looking at me, apparently, one of them had just said something, and I totally missed it.

"Sorry, what did you say?" I asked, snapping out of my reverie.

"I said, it sucks since you have to sit with the Slytherins." Ron said sourly.

"Oh."

Dammit, now I can't even sit with my friends. Grrr. This was not going to be fun.

"Which table is theirs? I mean, _ours_, excuse me." I asked.

They pointed to the furthest table on the left. It definitely was not my imagination, this people looked like thugs. Most of the guys were built along the lines of trolls, and the girls didn't look much better. Oh sure, there were a few good looking guys sitting here and there, but it wasn't much selection. Then, a flash of white blonde caught my eye. I looked again. There was that evil prick that had my heart. Damn. It looked like he was blatantly keeping an open spot next to him on the bench. Oh bloody hell.

"I'll see you guys later," I muttered miserably as I made my way over to Slytherin table. Everyone else was staring at me. I was getting really pissed off here. I can't sit with my friends, I get stuck next to bastard boy, and everyone is looking at me like I've got the Plague. What the fuck.

I stopped next to the guy they call Malfoy. I glared at him for a moment, then sat down grumpily.

"Well, look who decided to join us. Have fun with Weasel and Potty face?" he asked.

"Bite me."

Malfoy leaned closer. "Don't tempt me," he whispered in my ear.

I leaned away from him, glaring.

"Do you even know my name?" I asked him coldly.

"Does it matter?" he asked back.

"Oh, sod off," I muttered sourly.

"So where did you come from? Why are you here?" Malfoy asked.

Everyone around us was listening in.

"Why do you care? Try minding your own business and go to hell while you're at it." I snapped.

"Ooh, someone's got a temper. You know, you remind me of someone, I just can't figure out who." Malfoy said, pondering.

Just then, Dumbledore stood up. The hall went silent.

"Welcome, everyone, to a new year! I'm pleased to see you are all in excellent health and ready for a new year. Now, on with the Sorting!"

A severe looking witch came through the main doors then, leading a group of small people with her.

"Titchy little buggers," Malfoy smirked.

The witch began to call forward each person to be Sorted. It was funny, in a sick and twisted way, to watch another little bugger stumble forward as their name was called to be Sorted. All had varying degrees of fright on their faces.

Finally, with "Yanson, Melinda!" the Sorting was over. I was thankful, I was starving, and those Pumpkin Pasties that I had eaten on the train seemed years ago.

"Well, now that our first years have been Sorted, I have just one more announcement before we dig into our meals." Dumbledore said, standing up again.

I looked up. Oh Merlin, was he about to do what I think he's about to do? Oh no, no, no, no! Damn it, Dumbledore! Don't do it!

"Besides our first years, we have one more person joining us this year. I'd like you all to welcome Sarai Shulamith, who will be joining our sixth years. Sarai, would you stand up please? Everyone give her a welcome!"

I stood up miserably, my face turning crimson as people turned to look at me, clapping. I wanted to sink right down into the floor. Damn it all to bloody hell.

I sat down, my face burning with embarrassment.

"Would have saved you a lot of trouble just to tell me your name," Malfoy muttered to me as food appeared in heaps in front of our eyes.

"Go to hell."

He smirked. "Ah, I just love the feisty ones. A major turn-on if you ask me."

I glared at him. "Would you mind not hitting on me long enough so I can eat some food without gagging on it?"

He shrugged. "Have it your way."

I ate until I could eat no more. I was extremely full and very tired. I could have stretched out on the floor and fallen asleep without a second thought. I looked up at Dumbledore, waiting for him to tell us we could leave.

I yawned widely. "Dammit."

Malfoy looked over at me. "You could always stretch out on the bench. I've got a place for you right here." He patted his lap.

"Evil prick," I muttered.

Dumbledore stood up finally. "Well, now that we are all watered and fed, might I suggest that we all go on up to bed? First years will follow their respective prefects to their houses."

Draco stood up. He looked down at me, his eyes lingering on my prefects badge, or was it my chest he was looking at? He smirked.

"Come on, we've got to lead the little snotrags down to the common room."

I stood up, scowling at him. "Down? What do you mean, down?"

"We're in the dungeons."

He chuckled at the look on my face. "Oh, I assure you, it's quite cozy."

I glared at him. He smirked again and called up the table, "Oy! Midgets! Let's go! First years follow us!"

He swept out of the hall. I hurried to catch up to him. He kept glancing at me out of the corner of his eyes, but I stared straight ahead, only looking left or right to make a mental note of my surroundings, so as to not get lost.

He led us down into the dungeons. It was cold down here; our breath rose in mist every time we breathed out. I shivered slightly.

Unfortunately, Malfoy noticed. He smirked at me again. I was ready to hex the hell out of him, but then, his next action froze my mind. He draped an arm around my shoulder.

Ahhh! What the hell? His touch sent a tingling sensation down to my toes. I hate to admit it, but I was really, really enjoying this. Wait a minute! I'm supposed to hate him! Gah! What am I doing!

I yanked my wand out of my robes. "Get your filthy hands off me! What the bloody fuck to you think you're doing? Get the hell away from me, Malfoy!"

His smirk widened. "What an example you're setting for the young ones."

I looked behind us. The first years had stopped and were staring, wide-eyed at the scene in front of them. A few of them smirked.

"Like I care," I said sarcastically.

We set off walking again.

"You know, the more angry you get, the more you turn me on," he muttered.

"Like I'm interested," I muttered angrily.

"You might as well give it up, Sarai. You won't win."

I opened my mouth angrily, but Malfoy interrupted me.

"Here we go. Everybody in. The password's 'pureblood.'"

I stood back to let the first years through first. I clambered through before Malfoy, hoping not to get stuck, alone, with him. Or wait, I didn't want to get _caught _alone with him. Yeah, _caught_ sounds much better.

"Boys go to through the door on your right, girls on the left," Malfoy called lazily.

The first years scattered.

I looked around. We were in an underground room, the ceiling low, the walls rough stone. It was dark in here, as there were no windows, only the fire in the fireplace for light.

I walked over to the couch in front of the fire and sat down. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. Merlin, has it been a long day.

I was just starting to fall asleep when a voice roused me.

"Are you Sarai Shulamith?"

I opened one eye and looked at the person in front of me. I found myself face to face with none other than the Slytherin whore, Pansy Parkinson. Her simpering voice was enough to make me want to strangle her. Her pug face was twisted into a painful smile.

"What's it to you?"

She held out a roll of parchment. "I was asked to give this to you."

I took it and unrolled it.

_I wish for you to join me in my office after dinner tomorrow evening at seven. Do not be late. Don't try to ignore me. It won't work._

_Severus_

I looked up. The pug-faced whore was still standing there.

"Is there something else that you want?" I asked rudely.

"Nothing at all. Good night."

I had the urge to throw something at her retreating back. I looked back down at the note. Well, at least my, cough, _father_, wasn't insisting on me calling him Dad yet. What the hell did he want now? I had no desire to speak to the man.

A sudden presence at my elbow snapped me out of my thoughts. It was Malfoy.

"Yes?"

"What, am I not allowed to sit here?" he asked innocently, adjusting his position and ending up _way_ too close for comfort.

"Not when I'm here."I said, moving over more.

He sighed. "I don't know why you're fighting me. You obviously don't know about me. I get whatever I want, whenever I want, and whoever I want."

I stood up. "Well, you can't have me."

"What makes you so sure?" he challenged.

"Trust me on this, Malfoy. You do not want to mess with me."

I began walking across the room, intent on going to bed.

"I'd prefer 'Draco,' if it's all the same to you." He called before I disappeared through the dormitory door.


	7. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Six**

**Draco's POV**

Damn was she fine. They definitely didn't make them like that at Hogwarts. The first time I laid my eyes on her, I had to literally suck my saliva in. She was every kind of gorgeous, her thick black hair shining in glistening sheets that hung past her shoulders, her deep blue eyes that sparkled, her flawless skin. And her body was to die for. Curves in all the right places, Merlin, I had to control the urge to jump her every time I saw her.

But there was something else. Something lingered in her eyes, even when she was smiling, which wasn't often. Something haunted her, something she wasn't willing to talk about. I craved to know what it was, but I knew, there was no way in hell that she would open up to me. She hated me.

Of course, it didn't exactly help that my, _ahem,_ womanizing ways weren't going as well as I thought. Maybe I was coming on a bit too strong. I was puzzled, any other girl would jump at the chance to have me shag them senseless.

She wasn't like the other girls though. She was proud, and independent. She didn't need to rely on someone constantly to make her feel good. She didn't need anyone. It had to have something to do with why she was here.

At the Sorting Feast, she sat next to me, though, I could tell, it was not her will. I maybe overdid it a tad bit, telling her she could rest her raven-haired head in my lap if she was tired, and to be quite honest, I was surprised she didn't throttle me right then and there. The thought certainly crossed her mind, I could tell. And when I attempted to keep her warm as we walked down to the common room with the first years, I thought I was going to die right then and there.

Tactless, Draco, real tactless. There was an art to this, dammit, and I had to figure out how to get her.

Later on, in the common room, I had seized the opportunity to make civil conversation with her when she was sitting on the couch in front of the fire. But then, maybe my timing had been a little off, she looked thoroughly pissed off about something that Pansy had just handed her. She was not thrilled when I sat with her. Maybe I shouldn't have sat so close?

When she got pissed at me, she called me Malfoy. That hurt, only my enemies called me Malfoy. I wanted to be Draco. Her Draco. But how to do it?

I sat there, with my eyes closed for the longest time after she had fled from me. My mind spun, trying to figure out where I went wrong and how the bloody hell I was supposed to win Sarai over.

Nothing came to me, and I gave up, frustrated. I was so desperate, the thought crossed my mind to be nice to Potty and Weasel, who seemed to be the only ones close to her.

Nah. I wasn't that desperate. Was I?

I got up and trudged off to my dormitory, my bed calling out to me. Actually, it wasn't my bed calling out to me, and I had to restrain the urge to walk into the girls' dorm. This was going to be a long year.

I flopped onto my four poster, staring up at the green canopy above. Her face swam before my eyes. I shook my head, trying to clear it. How the hell was I supposed to concentrate on anything around here?

I fell into an uneasy sleep, my dreams plagued by Sarai's face, her troubles calling out to me to fix them, and make them go away.

I woke with a start, drenched in sweat and tangled in my bedclothes. I swore softly and got up, trying to rid my mind of Sarai and her troubles. Damn her for being so inviting, so untouchable. Damn her troubles for unconsciously reaching out to me.

I threw my robe on and dug my feet into a pair of slippers. I slipped out of the dormitory, intent on sitting in front of the fire for awhile to clear my mind, and possibly fall asleep again.

I didn't notice her at first. She was curled on the couch, asleep. The fire flickered across her face, which was far from peaceful. Her brow was furrowed, and she kept crying out. Sarai shivered, as though she was cold, but I could see beads of perspiration stood out on her forehead as I drew nearer.

"Mother," she cried out weakly.

I hesitated. Do I dare wake her? Whatever it was that she was dreaming was clearly torturing her. I wouldn't want to keep dreaming. My heart actually clenched to see her in pain. What the hell was wrong with me? I've never felt this way before.

My body made the decision for me. Before I knew what I did, I was sitting down on the couch, smoothing her hair away from her sweaty face.

**Sarai's POV**

Bloody hell could he piss me off. Combined with the prospect of meeting my father again tomorrow evening, I was in the foulest mood imaginable. I hated when people tried to get friendly with me when I was pissed off at the world.

Damn him and his bloody good looks.

I stomped off to my dormitory, ignoring him as he called out to me, "I'd prefer 'Draco,' if it's all the same to you."

Yeah, okay. I'm gonna call the guy that I have a bloody attraction to but still try to absolutely loathe by his first name. Count on it. If I did that, I'd be finished, and he would have won. No way, he wasn't going to win that easy.

I threw my pajamas on and crawled into bed, fuming about life in general and how cruel it had been to me. The loss of my mother still caused my heart to ache when I least expected it, and now coupled with the fact that my father was trying to get friendly with me and the guy that I'm trying so hard to ignore keeps coming on to me, I was really ready to throw myself down the nearest flight of steps. Or a window. Yeah, a window might do the trick.

I laid there, glaring at the canopy above me. My father, my mother, and Malfoy kept swimming before my face.

Fucking hell.

I rolled over and curled underneath my covers. I thought I was the luckiest person in the world up until a few months ago. I had a mother who loved me to pieces, who was my best friend and who I could trust with my biggest secrets, I had friends at my school who were there for me when my mother wasn't, and I didn't have to put up with a father who didn't know I existed. Now, three months later, I'm motherless, stuck with a father who really disgusted me, and trying to resist the affection of the one person who might actually care for me at the moment.

I let my mind wander through all the happy times I had with my mother. I remembered the time she tried to teach me how to cook the Muggle way. It had ended up a disaster, and we nearly burned the house down. I grinned to myself, remembering how much we had laughed that day and how we both decided that Muggle cooking was not our foray.

I remembered my first time going to Beauxbatons and how frightened I was to be away from my mother for an extended period of time. She had hugged me tightly and told me not to worry, she would write to me every day until I became used to being away from her. She had sent me care packages every other day, full of sweets and reminders of home.

I remembered that one time, in my third year, when my friends had thrown me a birthday party for my thirteenth birthday. They had decorated our dormitory and snuck down to the kitchens to get sweets and food for us to pig out on. I grinned, remembering the gifts they had given me. A whole bag of wizard crackers, a Grow Your Own Warts kit, a wizard's chess board, and a lot of joke products.

The grin that had unfurled on my face quickly disappeared as I realized something. My birthday.

I sat up in bed and swore. How could I forget? My birthday was next week. My sixteenth birthday, the first birthday without my mother. The one day I had counted on each year that I knew my mother would be truly spectacular and incredible. She once made me fourteen cakes, one for each year I had been alive. And now, she wouldn't be here.

Oh fuck this.

I got up and drew my robe around my shoulders and stuck my feet into my fuzzy slippers. I tiptoed out of the dormitory, intent on curling up by the fire for awhile.

I stretched out on the couch, staring into the fire. I wonder if my father knew my birthday was next week. I snorted, finding that impossible.

"Like he would care," I muttered darkly.

I tried to resist the urge to close my eyes, but they closed against my will. I soon drifted off to sleep, which was far from relaxing. My mother tormented my dreams, appearing at random moments to remind me of another time when she had been there for me. I tossed and turned, not waking, going through another moment in my life when my mother was there.

"Mother," I cried out weakly.

I finally awoke when I felt someone smoothing the hair away from my sweaty face. I felt tears sliding down my face, and, without knowing what I was doing, I threw myself into the arms of the person who was stroking my hair.

**Draco's POV**

She woke up abruptly. She threw herself into my arms, tears sliding down her face. I wrapped my arms around her, rubbing her back in small circles and trying to quiet her. She was still half-asleep, and didn't realize who I was. Merlin help me when she fully woke up and realized it was me.

Maybe it would be best if I just carried her to her bed and let her fall back to sleep again. She would never realize it was me.

Smart thinking Draco.

I picked her up easily. She was so small, I hadn't realized it. She felt like nothing in my arms. She buried her head into my neck, her breathing warm and soft on the skin under my ear. Dammit, this was not helping matters any.

I carried her into the girl's dormitory, finding her bed disheveled. I laid her down gently and pulled her slippers off her feet. I set them down and carefully pulled her robe off her shoulders. I untangled her covers and drew them up to her chin, trying all the while not to wake her more. She had quieted down and her tears began drying on her face. I had to clamp my hands to my sides to resist the urge to wipe them away. She sighed softly, snuggling down under her covers and falling into a deeper sleep.

Quietly, I made my way back to the door. I turned around and looked back at her. I made myself walk out the door, my mind screaming at me not to and to go back in there and lay with her, to comfort her. I made myself walk resolutely back into my dorm and climb back into my bed.

I yanked my covers up and rolled onto my side, cursing myself.

"She didn't know it was you. She didn't know it was you, dammit. Quit thinking this means something. Tomorrow morning, she'll go right back to hating you. She won't remember any of it unless you tell her. And you won't because you don't want to piss her off more," I told myself furiously.

'But you want it to mean something Draco, admit it,' a voice in the back of my head spoke.

No. Dammit, knock it off.

'Just tell her how you feel. She might come around,' the stupid voice said.

Fuck that. She'll hate me more.

'Ah, but you don't know that,' the voice said slyly.

Bloody hell, just fucking shut up already!

I rolled onto my back and stared at the canopy until I felt my eyes grow heavy. I fell asleep again, and tossed and turned for the rest of the night. When I woke up the next morning, I had a bloody headache.

My heart actually hurt because I wanted affection, and Sarai needed it. And we both wouldn't admit it.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Seven**

**Sarai's POV**

I woke up the next morning to find myself wrapped up in my own bed. How the hell had that happened? I fell asleep the second time on the couch in the common room. Someone moved me. The question was, who?

As I dressed, bits and pieces came back to me. I had gone back down to the common room to calm myself in front of the fire. I tried not to think of my birthday, my father, my mother, everything that had become a royal pain in my ass for the past three months. I ended up falling asleep. I remember dreaming about my mother, and then abruptly waking up.

But I must not have been fully awake. I remember the reason I woke up was because someone was stroking my hair. Grrr. Damn memory, I can't remember who. Whoever it was held me for awhile, and I think I remember getting picked up and carried somewhere. Hmm. That's how I got into my bed. Dammit, I wanna know who brought me here!

I grabbed my school bag and went out into the common room. It was still early, so there was nobody there. I stared at the couch for a minute, trying to encourage my mind into remembering something, anything about who the hell was with me last night. Nothing came to me.

I decided to forget about it and headed upstairs to the Great Hall for breakfast. There were a few people here and there eating, but it was still too early for anyone really to be up. I looked over at the Slytherin table. Much to my displeasure, Malfoy was there.

I walked over and sat down on the other side of the table from him. He looked up when I sat down.

"Morning," he muttered before going back to his cereal.

"Morning."

Odd. He wasn't trying to come on to me like usual. In fact, he looked slightly uncomfortable about something. I looked down at my robes. Nothing was out of place. I was pretty sure I had nothing stuck in my teeth. Oh Merlin. Did I have a bogie hanging out of my nose? I discreetly tried to check, but came up with nothing. Phew. Okay, I'm good.

I was halfway through my toast and bacon when it hit me like a truck.

How the hell could I be so bloody stupid?

Malfoy was the one who put me back to bed last night. Who else could it have been? Nobody else in Slytherin has attempted to get close to me, and I really don't think that a random guy is going to go picking up a girl he doesn't know and putting her back to bed. At least, not her own bed anyways.

And it sure as hell wasn't my father. He's not that nice.

I looked up at Malfoy, trying to find something in his face that would betray him. Nope, nothing. I studied him hard, looking for anything. But he was impassive.

He sensed me looking at him. He looked up at me, but the smirk he usually wore was barely there.

"See anything you like?" he asked.

I blushed. "No."

I went back to my toast. He didn't speak again until I finished eating.

"What class do you have first today?"

I consulted my schedule that I had just received moments earlier from that severe looking witch, Professor McGonagall. I swore when I read it.

"Potions with bloody Snape."

Malfoy looked at me strangely. "Bloody Snape? Do you know him?"

Dammit, I gotta learn to act like I don't know him. "We've met."

"How?"

"It's a long story. I'd prefer not to tell it." I said simply.

Wow, weird, I wasn't blowing up at him like I would have. How could I let something like what happened last night change my mind about him all of a sudden? Perhaps it was because I was so starved for affection, and what he did was immeasurably sweet.

Damn it. I'm losing.

Malfoy dropped the subject and consulted his schedule. "I've got Potions first too. We can walk down together, if you want." He said casually.

I nodded, sipping my pumpkin juice.

Soon, the Great Hall was filling up with students. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny came in a half hour before the first lesson of the day. They came over to talk to me for a few minutes.

"Morning," I greeted them.

"M-m-morning," Ron yawned.

"Sleep well?" Ginny asked.

"Not really," I admitted.

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"Bad dreams, and then I realized that next week is my birthday," I muttered.

I didn't notice that Malfoy was listening closely.

Hermione gave me a quick hug. "It must be hard. Don't worry, we'll come up with something good for you. Hey, I know! We could throw you a little party. Then you can meet other people and celebrate your birthday too. What do you think guys?"

The others nodded in agreement.

"Thanks guys. I appreciate it."

Ron and Harry went over to the Gryffindor table to eat.

"Guess who I get to go see tonight?" I asked Hermione and Ginny in an undertone.

"Who?"

"Severus. He sent me a note last night. I have to meet him after dinner."

Malfoy was still listening closely, but I hadn't noticed.

Ginny patted my arm. "It'll be okay. What does he want?"

"I have no clue. I don't want to go, but he said I couldn't ignore him, it wouldn't work."

"Well, just keep a positive attitude and it'll work out." Hermione said. "We need to go eat, Ginny. What do you have first lesson today, Sarai?"

"Potions."

"We do too. We'll see you there!" She called as she followed Ginny across the Hall.

I turned around and drank some more pumpkin juice before looking at my watch. Ten minutes until I got to go down into the dungeons once more and endure my father.

Wonderful.

Malfoy stood up. "You ready to go?"

I grabbed my bag. "Might as well go."

I followed him out of the hall. We walked in silence. Occasionally, I shot him a questioning look, wondering why he had changed his ways so suddenly.

We entered one of the classrooms in the dungeons and walked over to a table. I set my stuff down and looked around. Typical classroom, but it was bloody cold down here. My breath rose in a mist when I breathed out. I was already chilled just from walking in.

I sat there, next to Malfoy as the classroom slowly filled with everyone else. We had Potions with the Gryffindors, and it seemed that all the Slytherins sat on one side of the room while the Gryffindors sat on the other. Clearly, both houses were enemies. They all looked daggers at one another from across the room. Harry, Ron and Hermione gave me questioning looks when they walked in, and I knew it was because I was sitting next to Malfoy. I couldn't explain it. He was really the only one in here that I knew, besides them, but I didn't want to start a civil war by sitting with the other Gryffindors.

The bell rang and the chatter that had filled the room died instantly as my father swept into the room, his robes billowing out behind him. I got the distinct impression of an overlarge bat swooping in. I choked down a laugh, imagining my father as a bat with great flapping wings and everything.

Malfoy looked at me questioningly. I shook my head slightly, turning my choking into a coughing fit as my father turned to look at me.

Quick as a wink, I arranged my face into a smooth mask. He wasn't going to get anything out of me, I could guarantee you that.

He stared at me for several moments, his cold and empty eyes boring into mine. I glared back at him, not letting him intimidate me.

"As I was saying before I was interrupted," my father continued, shooting me a nasty look, "we will be brewing the Wit Sharpening potion. But be warned, being heavy-handed with the ingredients could make the drinker become, _ahem,_ literally stupid. Carry on."

I pulled my potions book from my bad and opened it to the right page. My eyes wandered down the list of ingredients and over the instructions.

Oh please. Any idiot with half a brain could brew this.

Nobody else was looking very pleased about it. They were all grumbling as they gathered their ingredients together and lit their cauldrons. Of course, maybe it was just because I had never had a problem with anything I had brewed before, but to everyone else, this couldn't have been a more complex and irksome potion.

I dragged myself over to the store cupboard and grabbed the ingredients I needed without consulting the page in the book. I knew what it needed, I didn't even need the damn book.

I went back to the table I shared with Malfoy and threw my book into my bag.

"What are you doing?" he hissed at me. "Why did you put your book away?"

I rolled my eyes. "Please, I could brew this in my sleep."

The rest of the class was barely halfway through the steps when I finished. It had to simmer lightly for a half an hour before ready, so I buried my head in my arms and fell asleep on the table.

Someone poked me painfully in the shoulder. I flew up out of my chair, glaring at the person who poked me. Damn him. Evil bastard called himself my father? That was entirely laughable.

"Five points from Slytherin, Miss Shulamith. No one sleeps in my class. Not when there's a potion to be brewed."

I yawned widely and pointedly in his face. "I'm done with my potion, _sir_." I placed careful emphasis on the last word.

His eyes narrowed and flashed dangerously. He looked down his nose at my cauldron, which held the now ready Wit Sharpening potion. Apparently, he could find nothing wrong with it, for he merely settled himself with a contemptuous glance at me before sweeping off to disparage the Gryffindors work.

Malfoy looked at me. "Be glad he didn't murder you. Anyone else would have been given a week's worth of detentions."

"Like I won't feel his wrath later," I muttered darkly.

With five minutes left till the bell, we were instructed to fill a flask with a sample of our potions and place them on my father's desk.

I cleaned up my area and threw my stuff into my bag as the bell rang. There was something I wanted to do before dashing off to Arithmancy with Hermione.

Malfoy was halfway down the corridor when I reached the door. Dammit, he just had to be in a hurry.

"Draco! Wait up!" I called to him.

He stopped and turned to see who called to him. There was a small smile playing about his lips, but his eyes looked uncertain.

I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me. "Um, I just wanted to say, thank you for what you did last night. It was really sweet of you."

My cheeks blushed crimson. Of all times to blush, I ask of you. I plucked up the courage to look up at him. He was looking at me curiously, something in his eyes that I couldn't read.

"It was nothing," he said softly, still looking into my eyes.

I was now thoroughly embarrassed. Hermione was hovering uncertainly behind Draco, waiting for me.

"Well, I'll see you later." I said before brushing past him to catch up to Hermione.

My cheeks were still burning crimson. Damn.

Hermione looked at me curiously, wanting to ask me what all that was about, but I ignored her stare and walked up to Arithmancy with her, where I spent the whole class daydreaming about a certain someone and how I had seriously underestimated his intentions.


	9. Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can have fun with his world.

**A.N. **Sarai gets a little, ahem, _inventive_ with her language in this chapter. If you were looking for her to have a decent reason to yell at someone, here's the chappie you've been looking for. Enjoy!

**My Father**

**Chapter Eight**

**Draco's POV**

She called me Draco. I don't believe it. She actually called me Draco.

Praise you, almighty Merlin.

I finally got a reaction out of that cold heart. And all it took was for me to actually be nice to her. Sweet, that was the word she had used. She thought that what I did was sweet.

I could sing out loud. Maybe not, but I did it! I, Draco Malfoy, succeeded in getting something out of Sarai.

I am an idiot.

How could I not realize that all I had to do was be sweet to her? How? Such a dumbass Draco.

I walked to Ancient Runes, not paying attention to anything really, just reliving the moment when she told me I was sweet. And the way she looked at me when she said it. Those deep blue eyes looked up at me through those thick, long eyelashes. And it wasn't a cold look. There was something there, like she finally realized that maybe I wasn't so bad, maybe she could actually allow herself to be nice.

It's a miracle.

Now, down to business. From what Sarai said this morning at breakfast, her birthday was next week. Hmm, this has possibilities. Get her something nice, something she won't forget me for. Something that shows her just how much I want her, er, care for her. And from what Mudblood, ahem, Granger, said this morning, they were going to throw her a party. Perfect. Well, despite that I simply _loathe_ the Gryffindors and everything to do with them, and despite how I would rather throw myself off the tallest tower of the castle than go into their common room, I knew I had to do something about this.

I need to make a run to Hogsmeade. Either that or make an appearance back at Malfoy Manor to find something for her.

Nah, she wouldn't want any treasured family heirlooms. They all suck.

Hogsmeade it is.

Whether Sarai realized it or not this morning, she let something about her slip. She knew Snape, and was not happy about it. Now I have to know. She's keeping a secret. She won't keep it for long. Draco always knows everyone's dirty little secrets.

I soared through the rest of my day, carefree and not paying attention to anything really. Pansy noticed when she sat down next to me at dinner.

"Draco, where are you at? You seem so far away. You haven't talked to me all day," she simpered while plastering a pout on that pug face of hers.

"Go away," I snapped. She was interrupting my thoughts of Sarai.

"Did you have a good summer?" she asked, ignoring me completely.

"Pansy, get the hell away from me," I said through gritted teeth.

"Fine, someone's not in the mood to talk," she pouted heavily.

"Yeah, not to you." I growled, making sure she heard me.

She stalked away, throwing me a deep look of disgust.

I looked up and down the table, looking for Sarai. Odd, she wasn't anywhere to be seen. Damn, I was hoping to show off more of my good boy side.

I wandered down to the common room afterwards, expecting to see her sitting on the couch by the fire. She wasn't there.

I started to get slightly worried. Where could she have disappeared to?

Trying not to think about it too much, I stretched out on the couch, staring into the fire. I tried not to think about her, but her face kept popping into my head. Dammit, why the hell did she have to be so bloody sexy?

I got up and exited the common room. I was hell bent on scouring the castle for her. I wouldn't rest until I knew she was okay.

I wandered around the entire castle for an hour, but I didn't find her. I was really frustrated, and really worried. She didn't know the castle very well, and who knows what the bloody hell Dumbledore is hiding here and what he has guarding it?

I decided to search the basement and dungeons once more. She might have gotten lost down there. I wandered the corridors, ignoring the chill in my feet and hands and searching for that raven-haired head.

She was sitting on the floor in an empty corridor, staring at the wall in front of her. She looked extremely sad. Tears poured silently down her face, but she didn't reach up to wipe them away. My heart clenched. Her pain seemed immeasurable, and I knew I couldn't make it go away.

I sat down next to her. She looked up at me, the tears still flowing down her face, her eyes hurt and glazed with loss.

I ignored the voice in my head telling me not to touch her and pulled her into my arms, allowing her to bury her head in my chest and sob her heart out.

**Sarai's POV**

I floated through the rest of my day. Draco had my heart, much to my displeasure. I couldn't help it. Despite every muscle in my body telling me to repulse him, my heart was the one that would not cooperate with my mind. I had tried, valiantly, to get him out of my head, but the damn sexy idiot just would not vacate the premises.

I skipped dinner, having no appetite whatsoever when I realized through my haze of happiness that I had to meet my bloody father that evening.

Did I mention that I absolutely loathe the man?

What could he possibly want? I hate him. I hate him with a passion. He should realize that. And if he tries to bloody lecture me about falling asleep in his class, I swear to Merlin, I will rip his greasy head off.

'Calm down, Sarai,' that bloody sneaky voice awoke inside my head.

Fuck off. I'll get pissed if I want to get pissed. He abandoned my mother, remember?

'He deserves a second chance, you know he does,' the sneaky voice said.

Fucking hell, he does. That'll happen when hell freezes over.

'It looks pretty chilly down there today,' the voice said.

WHAT PART OF SHUT UP DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND!

'Fine, someone has a temper,' the sneaky voice said before going silent.

Great. That is just bloody fucking great. I'm losing it. I hear voices inside my head.

I'm a fucking nutcase.

I went to my father's office at seven, like the note said to. I knew I couldn't get away with ignoring him. He would drag me to his office kicking and screaming if he had to.

I stopped in front of the heavy wooden door, ignoring the squirming in my gut telling me not to go in there. Oh hell. Get over it, what's the worst he can do?

I knocked twice before entering.

I looked around. The room was dark, the fire in the grate barely warming the place, let alone lighting it. There were shelves lining the walls, with jars of. . ._things_. . .all over.

My father was a sick bastard.

"Good evening Sarai."

I jumped. My father appeared out of the shadows near the door.

"Do you mind not giving me a bloody heart attack?" I asked coldly.

"Sit," he commanded, ignoring my cheek.

I glared at him with utter loathing before sitting down in the chair in front of his desk.

"How was your first day here?" he asked.

"Bite me."

He sat down behind his desk, surveying me with those cold eyes.

"You will answer me when I ask you a question. How was your first day?"

"And I answered you. _Bite me._"

His eyes flashed dangerously. "I am your father, you will not speak to me like that."

"Bloody hell you are." I snapped.

He closed his eyes, as though trying to find patience somewhere in that evil body of his. He opened them finally, and forced his face into what looked like a very painful smile.

"I'm trying really hard here to understand you, Sarai. I understand that you hate me. I should have been there for you."

"And my mother," I spat.

"And your mother. But I wasn't. I am sorry. I don't know what I can do to get you to understand that. I am sorry."

I glared at him. What I was feeling right now could not be expressed fairly. I guess the closest I could relate it to was wanting to tear his throat out. Even that didn't come close.

"Why am I here?"

He looked at me, choosing his words carefully. "I summoned you here because I wanted to talk to you. In case you haven't noticed, I'm trying to make up for lost time. I want to get to know you. And I wanted to explain things to you."

"You'll never make up for lost time. And you'll never get to know me. Why the bloody hell should I tell you anything? You're a goddamn stranger to me."

"Fine. Then I will explain things to you first. Then maybe you will tell me about yourself."

I snorted. "Yeah, okay, sure. You just keep thinking that."

He ignored me. "Now, when I saw you over the summer, I was shocked. I honestly did not know your mother was pregnant. I had heard a rumor, but I knew how rumors ran rampant around here in my day, and I chose not to believe it. It was a mistake. When Dumbledore brought you to the Order, without warning me, I was in a state of shock. I was not forewarned, so I had no time to accept the fact. Forgive me, if I seemed-"

"Like you hated me? Yeah, sure, I'll forgive you," I said sarcastically.

"That is not the case. Sarai, I am willing to step up to my duties of fatherhood. I will be here for you from now on. I promise you this." There was almost pleading note in his voice. Almost.

"Be there for me like you were there for my mother? Fat chance." I spat.

"Sarai, I will be there for you. I am here, always. I won't disappear again."

"Sure you won't. Why the hell did you abandon her in the first place?"

I thought I saw his pupils dilate in sudden fear. This is what he was dreading. He had a complication in the matter at hand. This is where things got dicey.

"This is going to require some explaining."

"You're goddamn right it is."

"Sarai, let me get one thing straight with you now. I grew up in a family that hated one another. I sought solace in magic. I have always had a fascination with the Dark Arts."

My heart stopped. Did he bloody damn well mean what I think he means?

"You _what?"_ I sputtered out.

"Sarai, let me explain," he began, a note of urgency in his voice.

I realized there was only one way to determine if he was serious or not.

"Show me your left arm," I demanded.

"Sarai," he tried again.

"Don't bloody patronize me! Show me your damn arm!"

He regarded me for a moment. Wordlessly, he drew the sleeve of his robe up to expose his left forearm. I stood up and yanked his arm towards me.

Bloody fuck.

There was the Dark Lord's mark, on his forearm, glaring black and ugly, a skull and serpent. I recoiled from him, suddenly wishing to be anywhere but here. Oh Merlin. I felt sick and my stomach heaved. I looked around wildly for any place to throw up, but there was nothing. Fuck this, I can't handle it any more.

I retched over the side of my chair. The room suddenly seemed too small for me and my fury, my horrible sense of isolation and extreme abandonment. I was trembling all over. My father, my fucking idiot, bloody bastard! Father wasn't a word he even deserved.

"You. . .you call yourself a father?" I screamed at him, my throat feeling like it was about to tear.

He pulled out his wand and cleared my mess away. "Sarai, listen to me," he tried to speak.

"Are you still serving him? Huh? Tell me the truth, dammit! I can't put up with any more lies! Tell me the truth!"

His black eyes glittered out at me. "Sarai, the Dark Lord knows you exist. You are in danger. He has dealt with me already, but you are in danger. Are you listening to me?"

"So because of you, I'm in danger of bloody fucking death?" I screeched.

"Sarai, I got involved with a Muggle-born. That is not acceptable to the Dark Lord. He has dealt with me, but he's after you now. He wants to get rid of you. And you must do everything in your power to avoid this."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"Because I care about you."

The injustice of it all swelled up inside me, making my heart hurt and my lungs feel like they were about to burst.

"You didn't answer my question. Are you still serving him?" My tone was colder than ice.

He looked at me for the longest moment.

"I am."

My stomach rolled again. I had to get out of here. Away from him, away from my demons, away from danger. How did I know he wasn't going to sell me out? His own daughter, handed right to the Dark Lord?

"You. . .you stay the hell away from me. I don't want to have anything to do with you. Keep the hell away from me." I said in a deadly voice that shook with every word.

"Sarai, don't do this," he warned.

"DID YOU HEAR ME! STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME AND GO TO BLOODY FUCKING HELL!" I screamed, my throat on fire.

I ran blindly from the room, tears streaming down my face as I rushed down corridor after corridor, the intense cold penetrating my very heart and making me feel colder than ice.

I didn't pay attention to where I was going, and when I finally stopped for air, I realized I was lost. My anger swelled again, threatening to engulf me in a tidal wave.

"Fuck it all! Fuck you, Father! Fuck you, Lord Voldemort! Fuck you all! I don't give a bloody fuck about fucking anything any fucking more!" I screamed again.

My pain was almost too much to bear. I can't deal with this anymore. I have no one. No mother, no father, no one to love weak and vulnerable Sarai. Nobody here to save me now.

I had never felt so isolated and alone in my whole life. I fell to the floor and crawled over to the wall.

The intense cold added pain to my already damaged mind, body and spirit.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Nine**

**Draco's POV**

She clearly needed someone in her life. I felt so bad for her. Someone must have clearly abandoned her for her to feel so alone and isolated.

"Sarai, tell me what's wrong. Tell me what happened," I whispered in her ear as she continued to sob into my shirt.

She shook her head and buried it further into my chest. I held her tighter. She felt like ice. She shook uncontrollably no matter who close I was holding her. She didn't need to be out in this cold corridor. She needed to be someplace warm.

"Wrap your arms around my neck. We can't stay here."

I scooped her up and held her close as I carried her through the maze of corridors. I took a few secrets passages to avoid nosy students, and we wound up on the seventh floor.

I walked past a blank stretch of wall three times, thinking hard. A door materialized and I quickly stepped inside and locked it.

Sarai was still crying, not paying attention to where I was taking her.

The Room of Requirement held a bed with warm blankets and was quiet. She needed someplace quiet and warm.

I carried her over to the bed and laid her down gently. I pulled the covers over her. She curled into the fetal position and was quiet.

I crawled onto the bed and laid down next to her. I pulled her close, and stroked her hair to calm her.

She had stopped crying so much. Occasional tears trailed down her pale face and she kept sniffing back more tears. At one point, she uncurled herself and rolled over to move closer to me. I wrapped my arms around her and rested my head against the top of hers.

She felt so small in my arms. When she stood, she barely reached my chest. She was thin, almost too thin, like she hadn't been eating enough lately. Her large, lovely eyes stood out in her face, and they had a lost, helpless look in them.

"Sarai, tell me what's wrong. You don't have to deal with it alone."

"I am alone." she whispered. "I have no mother, no father. No one here to protect weak and vulnerable Sarai."

"I'm here."

"My mother died over the summer. My father never existed until now. He's a Death Eater, and I have no one."

"I know what it's like to be alone," I whispered.

"You do?"

"I do. My father is a Death Eater too. He's Voldemort's right hand man. He doesn't give a damn about me. Half the time I don't exist. My mother is never around, she's always traveling, trying to get away from him. I suspect she's having an affair. I have no brothers or sisters; more often than not, I am home alone."

"I've never been alone before. My mother was always there when I needed her," she said, her voice quivering.

I held her tighter. "You don't have to be alone."

"I'm afraid," she barely whispered.

"I'm here," I whispered into her hair.

She shifted around in my embrace. "Draco," she looked up into my eyes, "the Dark Lord's after me."

I thought I misunderstood her. "You. . .what?"

"The Dark Lord's after me," she whispered, tears falling again.

"But. . .why?"

"Draco, it's him. Snape's my father. It's his fault. He got involved with my mother. My mother, the dirty common Muggle-born. I'm a half blood. I'm not pure. He wants to get rid of me."

My mind spun. "Snape? He's your father? But, why the hell was he not around before?"

"My mother knew he was a Death Eater. She found out the night she and him. . .well, the night I was. . .conceived. She left him when she saw the Mark."

She sounded thoroughly disgusted. I didn't blame her. I felt a sudden surge of loathing towards my once favorite teacher.

"No wonder him and my father get along so well," I nearly spat.

"I'm sorry Draco."

She looked absolutely terrified. The Dark Lord was after her, and if he wanted you dead, you would wind up dead.

She will not die. I won't allow it to happen.

I pulled her as close to me as I could get her. She needed someone in her life right now. She just found out her father was a bloody Death Eater, and she was marked for death. She needed me more than ever.

"I will not let you die, Sarai. I promise you, as long as you are with me, you are safe."

"But Draco, your father's a Death Eater. He'll know. If you're with me, he'll sell me out. I'll be handed right to. . .to the Dark Lord." Her voice was on the verge of hysteria again.

"Hush. Don't think about it. I'm here. Just let go. You're safe here for the moment."

She gave me a sad smile that nearly broke my heart in two. She curled into me and snuggled her head up to my chest again. With a sigh, she fell asleep.

I watched her fall into a deep sleep. The only time she could escape her living nightmare. The only time I saw that beautiful face of hers lose that mask of worry and despair. She was peaceful when she slept.

I had known the girl for two days, but it seemed like a lifetime. My heart belonged to her. It would never change.

"I love you Sarai," I whispered as I kissed her softly on the forehead.

**Sarai's POV**

I woke up in an unfamiliar place. I was so disoriented, and I panicked for a moment. Then I realized Draco was next to me, his arms wrapped around me. Everything from last night came flooding back.

My life is a living nightmare.

So now I know I'm the Dark Lord's next target. My father is a Death Eater, and I don't know whether or not he'll sell me out to the Dark Lord. My mother is dead, my father is dead to me in my mind, and I have no one.

Draco was so sweet. He understood what I was going through. His father was a Death Eater too. His mother disappeared from his life for months at a time. He was alone too.

We need each other. There's no other way.

I felt better in Draco's arms. The feeling of being alone and abandoned was lessened by his touch. In his arms, I was complete. And I had only known him for two days.

But there were complications. Hell, there were always complications. His father was a Death Eater. If I became involved with Draco, there was a risk of being sold out to the Dark Lord.

Why does every bloody fucking thing have to happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?

Draco promised he would not allow me to die. He would do whatever it took to keep me alive.

But my father promised me the same thing.

Who did I believe?

Beside me, Draco stirred. In that moment where he was between sleeping and waking, he held me tighter. Then he awoke.

He looked at me sleepily.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Better than I was, but not all there."

He reached out and brushed a lock of hair out of my face. Merlin, he melted my heart with the simplest gestures.

"You'll never be completely okay. Not after everything you've been through. But I understand. I'm not okay either. I never will be."

"Thank you for what you did, Draco. You're so sweet to me. I don't understand it."

He smiled at me. "Let's just say I've figured out that you're my better half. With you, I am complete."

I smiled. God damn, how could I not see this before? Why couldn't he have acted like this when I first met him?

"Funny, I feel the same way."

He sat up. He looked at his watch. "We need to get ready for class. We have an hour."

I sat up too. I stretched widely, aware that Draco was taking the opportunity to look me over. It felt weird, his eyes going up and down my body, but at the same time, it felt right. I had been without someone for longer than I needed to be without someone.

I rumpled my hair. "I need a shower."

Draco got up. "Bathroom's over there."

I looked over in the direction he was pointing. "Where are we anyways?"

"The Room of Requirement. It's always there when you need it. It'll be whatever you need it to be."

"Cool."

I wandered into the bathroom and took a blasting hot shower. I tried to wash away everything, but it didn't work so well. I knew I could never rid myself of my demons. They would always be there, when I least expected them to be.

But right now, I was thinking of how the love of my life was in the other room, less than fifty feet away from me, as I stood in the shower. Merlin, he was so sweet and sexy. He was the bad boy type that I loved with the sweet and caring side that I loved even more. I could see why he had all the girls around her mesmerized.

Easy Sarai. You've known him for two days. Let's not get carried away.

But he was just so tempting!

I shook my head, flinging water everywhere. I needed to get those damn hormones toned down. _Way_down.

I emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later in yesterday's clothes. Ugh, this wasn't cool. Someone would notice.

"I need fresh clothes," I said to Draco.

He walked over to the wardrobe that stood unseen on the other side of the room and pulled out some fresh robes, and a fresh skirt, blouse, and tie.

"Aha. Thank you. Now go shower, so I can change in peace," I said, pushing him towards the bathroom.

He smirked at me. There was that mischievous glint in his eye again. His bad boy side emerging.

"Sure you can manage those clothes alone?" He raised an eyebrow suggestively.

I laughed. "Draco, you better go shower. Otherwise I just might take you up on that offer."

He grinned naughtily at me but walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

This was going to be really, really hard.


	11. Chapter Ten

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Ten**

**Sarai's POV**

My first week passed by smoothly after its disastrous beginning. My father made no more attempts to talk to me, and my sleep had become more and more peaceful. I began to feel better about myself, and my body began to feel better. Draco only left my side to attend the classes we didn't share. We were becoming good friends, much to the displeasure of Harry and the others.

"What do you see in him, Sarai?" Ron asked me one day after Draco left us alone to hang out.

"Ron, we're just friends. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that he's a stupid evil git," Harry said, not looking up from the game of wizard's chess that he and Ron were playing.

"No he's not," I protested. "He's really nice when you get to know him."

I looked to Hermione and Ginny for help. Hermione didn't share my opinion, but Ginny grinned.

"Well, if you ask me, I'd only be friends with him so I could stare at that damn sexy body of his all day. I've heard from some of my friends that he's damn good in bed."

I choked on the bottle of butterbeer I was drinking. I really, _really_ did not need to know that.

"Sorry," Ginny apologized. "I thought you would want to know."

"Did I ever say I wanted anything more than friendship from him?" I asked.

"Oh, come on Sarai. Don't tell me you've never looked at him and not thought about jumping him or yanking him into a vacant broom closet!" Ginny exclaimed.

Well, the thought had crossed my mind a time or two, but he was so sweet! I don't think I could ever let that happen.

'Sure you wouldn't,' that damn sneaky voice spoke up.

Not you again.

'You know you want to jump him,' the voice said, ignoring me.

So what if I do? Is that a crime?

'No, just do it.'

But I have morals! I've only known him for a week!

'Does that matter? People have done it the same night they met the person,' the voice reasoned.

What do I look like? A bloody whore?

'I never said that,' the voice denied.

The bloody hell you didn't!

"Sarai! Earth to Sarai!" Ginny was calling my name.

"What? Sorry, must have spaced off," I shook my head and yelled at the voice to keep its damn mouth shut.

"Yeah, sure, you were just thinking about Malfoy, that's all," Ginny said slyly.

"No! I wasn't!"

Ginny smirked. "Whenever any girl I know gets that dreamy, odd look on her face, I know she's thinking of a guy and how great he'd be in bed."

"Ginny shut up!" Ron yelled. "Some of us don't care to hear about how great Ferret Boy is in the sack."

"Ferret Boy?" I asked.

Hermione giggled. "In our fourth year, we had Professor Moody as our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Malfoy tried to curse Harry one day in front of Moody, so Moody turned Malfoy into a ferret and bounced him all around the entrance hall."

"Best damn day of my life. Watching Draco Malfoy bounce around as the human ferret." Harry grunted from his position in front of the chessboard.

"So Sarai. When exactly is your birthday this week? So I can plan the party." Hermione asked.

Ugh. My birthday. I tried to forget about it. "Um, Friday."

"Okay. I was thinking that we could have the party in the Gryffindor common room. Is that okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, fine."

"Good. Don't worry about anything. Ginny and the rest of us have it covered."

"I can't wait."

The following week seemed to drag by. I had to endure my father's Potions class no more than three times that week, and each time, he made an attempt to talk to me. Each time though, I made sure I ignored him. Everyone else was shocked that I could get away with it; nobody else had ever ignored Snape before without landing themselves a detention.

Finally, Friday arrived. I woke up slightly unhappy, wishing my mother was still alive so I wouldn't feel so alone. I made myself feel slightly better though when I reasoned that she was celebrating for me in the afterlife, and it brought a grin to my face, imagining her partying hard in the afterlife.

As usual, I was up earlier than most. I walked out into the common room, expecting to see it empty. It wasn't. Draco was sitting in an armchair by the fire. He looked up when he saw me.

"Good morning."

"The same to you. I figured you'd be in the Great Hall by now. What are you still doing here?" I asked.

"Waiting for you."

"How sweet."

He got up and followed me out of the common room. "Sleep well?"

"Sleeping better and better every night. I don't have so many nightmares anymore," I replied.

"That's good."

The Great Hall was practically empty when we walked in. We went over and sat down at our table and began eating in silence.

"So, what are you doing tonight?" Draco asked after ten minutes of silence.

I chewed my cereal and swallowed. "The others are throwing me a party. It's my birthday, and the first one on my own, so they wanted to make me feel better by throwing me a party so I wouldn't be alone."

"Happy birthday."

"Thanks."

"So where's the party?"

"In the Gryffindor common room. That's all I know." I said.

Draco nodded but didn't say anymore. We both found that when we were with each other, we didn't really need to talk a lot. We both sort of knew what was going on with each other without communicating.

The rest of the day passed very slowly. I thought time has stopped. When Transfiguration, my last class of the day, was finally over, I couldn't help but sigh with relief.

I went down to the Great Hall with Draco for dinner. I was much happier than I had been earlier. My friends were throwing me a party to show they cared. I didn't feel as alone anymore.

Hermione came over to me as I was halfway through my pork chops. "The party starts at seven. I want you to come with us after dinner to get ready. And no excuses!"

"Okay. But why do I need two hours to get ready?" I inquired.

"Just trust me, Sarai. You want to look good for the party, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then you're coming with us after dinner to get ready. Come get us when you're done."

I took my time eating. Why in the bloody hell did I need two hours to get ready?

Oh Merlin. Hermione and Ginny were two of those girl extremists that every school had. When there was a party, they'd spend three hours getting ready. Although, the time was usually well worth it, I always was envious of the girls at my school who could pull themselves together so well.

"I'll see you later, Draco." I called as I walked over to the Gryffindor table.

Ginny and Hermione practically frog marched me out of the Hall. "Guys, you can let go. I'm coming with you willingly."

They let go, but kept close on either side of me.

"We told a bunch of people about the party, so I think we'll have a good turnout," Ginny remarked.

"That's good."

They led me into the common room and up a set of spiral stone stairs.

"You aren't even going to recognize yourself when we're finished with you," Ginny said, grinning evilly.

Bloody hell. What had I gotten myself into?

**Draco's POV**

I watched as Sarai disappeared out of the Hall with Mudblood and the she-Weasel. It sounded as though this was going to be one hell of a party. I turned to my friend, Blaise Zabini, who was forking down seconds of treacle.

"Hey Blaise."

"Yeah?" he asked through a mouthful of treacle.

"Wanna go to the party with me tonight? I don't want to be the only Slytherin there."

He looked at me appraisingly. "Why do you want to go to a bloody Gryffindor party?"

"It's not just a Gryffindor party, idiot. It's Sarai's birthday." I snapped, thoroughly annoyed.

"Oh. Okay, yeah I'll go."

I got up from the table and wandered down to our common room. I walked into my dormitory, looking to make sure I had wrapped Sarai's present. I had snuck into Hogsmeade last weekend to buy it. It was a gorgeous goblin-wrought silver ring. It was made by intertwining two snakes so that the ring would wind its way up the finger. It was inlaid with green gems for the body and blood red gems for the eyes of the snakes.

But the best part was the inside of the ring. I had it inscribed in a curling script writing.

_Two halves make a whole. Without my better half, I wouldn't exist. Love forever and always, Draco._

I knew she would love it. I had been impatient all week, waiting to give it to her. I wanted to prove to her once and for all that I couldn't live without her and that I loved her like I never loved anyone before.

I put the wrapped parcel away until I needed it. I turned my attention to my wardrobe to figure out what I would wear to this party. If Sarai was going to look stunning, I knew I had to do my part to look as good as she did.

I decided on my best pair of black pants and my favorite green and silver shirt that fit me oh so well, showing off my muscles. It ensured I would not only attract attention, but catch Sarai's eye as well. She looked me over nearly as often as I looked her over, though, she thought she did it discreetly. I never bothered to make sure I was being discreet.

I combed my hair down and left the gel out for once. I knew Sarai preferred when I wore my hair shaggy and in my eyes. She had a weakness for the disheveled look on guys. I also knew she had a major weakness for bad boys. Hmm, would you go figure? I just happened to have a bad boy streak in me.

I put on my favorite cologne and checked myself out in the mirror on the inside of my wardrobe.

"Not bad, Draco. Not bad," I muttered.

I went out into the common room to find Blaise. He didn't even bother with his clothes. He knew he didn't have to try very hard to attract attention either.

"Come on," I said, "it's almost seven."

He stood and followed me out of the common room.

"Ready or not, Sarai, here I come," I said, feeling my excitement grow.


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Eleven**

**Sarai's POV**

Oh bloody Merlin.

What did I just allow them to do?

This cannot be me. This really cannot be me.

Is that me?

I leaned closer to look at my reflection in the mirror. Same nose, same eyes, same hair.

It's gotta be me.

"Well? What do you think?" Ginny asked, breaking the silence.

"That's me?" I squeaked out.

"That's you." Hermione reassured me.

"I never thought it possible. You guys did a. . .a great job. I don't think I've ever looked like this before," I said, gesturing.

Ginny had pulled out a stunning green and silver dress for me that fell just to the tops of my knees. It had skinny straps that were wound with silver accents. The collar line fell a few inches below my collarbone and was stitched with sparkling green and silver thread.

Hermione had brushed my hair until it was shiny and tangle-free. She pulled my long bangs out of my face and secured them at the back of my head.

Then they both attacked me with makeup. They highlighted my deep blue eyes with black eyeliner and mascara, and then took silver eyeshadow and applied it lightly around the outside of my eyes to make them appear brighter and deeper colored.

Now they both looked at me, admiring their handiwork.

"I think you look grand," Hermione said, brushing a stray piece of lint off my dress.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Ginny said, going over to her wardrobe and pulling out a pair of heels, "you need something to dance in."

"Thanks guys. This means a lot to me," I said, sitting down on Hermione's bed to pull on the heels.

"Malfoy is going to eat his heart out," Ginny said, grinning.

"I hope so. If this doesn't get his attention, I don't know what will."

I sat there and waited for them to get ready. They both looked very nice as well. Ginny had put on a black skirt and a pretty blue striped shirt. She pulled her hair up into a messy but creative twist and threw on some makeup to accent her green eyes. Hermione had dressed in a denim miniskirt and a form fitting red and black collared shirt. She brushed her hair out and waved her wand around to braid her hair into little tiny braids that she gathered back and secured behind her head. She put on a dash of mascara to highlight her lovely almond eyes and pulled on a pair of chunky heels.

"You guys look great too." I said when they were finally finished.

"Not as good as you," Ginny said. "This is just something I throw on when I have a party to go to."

"But it looks good. I couldn't pull that off," I assured her.

Hermione looked at her alarm clock. "It's party time. Come on, let's go down."

The three of us descended the stairs into the common room. Already, it was filling up with people from other houses. We spotted Ron and Harry talking by the fireplace.

"Hi guys. Doesn't Sarai look great?" Ginny asked them once we were within earshot.

They turned around. Harry's mouth dropped, and Ron audibly muttered, "Whoa."

Music started playing from an unseen source, and decorations magically appeared from nowhere.

"Nice job guys. This is great," I admired.

"Come on, let's go dance," Ginny said, grabbing my hand and pulling me to an area that was clear of tables and chairs.

The music was great. I let it fill me up and I let go of everything. My body moved with the rhythm of the music. It pounded through my body, making me feel exhilarated. All my troubles disappeared. It was me, the music, and the people dancing around me.

The others soon joined us. They began making introductions as more people showed up. Soon, the common room was filled with people from other houses.

"You told a few people? I think the whole school's here!" I shouted over the music to Hermione and Ginny.

"Yeah, well, I guess you're popular!" Ginny shouted back.

I was soon out of breath from dancing so much. "Let's go grab drinks!" I shouted at the others.

They nodded eagerly and followed me off the dance floor.

We all grabbed bottles of butterbeer and walked around for awhile, the others greeting those they knew and introducing me to everyone who crossed our paths. Everyone was really nice, complimenting me on my clothes and wishing me happy birthday.

But I didn't see Draco. I looked at the clock on the mantle above the fireplace. The party had been in full swing for an hour.

My heart sank. Did I just set myself up for heartbreak yet again?

I shrugged it off and plastered a grin on my face when a girl by the name of Padma Patil complimented me on my dress. From what I gathered, she was Parvati Patil's twin sister from Ravenclaw.

"Nice to meet you too. Thank you for coming," I said.

Hermione looked at me uncertainly. She could hear the wobble in my voice, though I tried to disguise it.

"Are you okay?" she asked me aside from the others.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

"Shall we go dance again?" she asked, looking around at the others.

"Yeah, let's go."

The music was getting better. The beat ground through my body, making it seem as though it was the beat itself making me move. I shook off all my worries again and just concentrated on the music. I looked around at all the people in the common room. They all seemed to be having a good time. It seemed nobody was without a grin on their faces.

Without warning, a slow song started. It seemed immediately everyone paired off: Ginny with Harry, Hermione with Ron. I struggled to keep the smile on my face as I watched them all dance, so happy with each other.

I backed away, hoping to slip away unnoticed. That's when I backed into someone. Someone who seemed to have a damn good build, with a muscular chest. . .

I whirled around. Draco stood there, smiling down at me.

"There you are. Shall we dance?" he asked.

I nodded, not trusting my voice again, though this time, it was out of happiness. I was afraid I would squeak with joy.

He took my hand and led me to the center of the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around my waist, and I wrapped mine around his neck. He pulled me close to him, so I fit snugly against his body.

Instantly, it seemed everything and everyone around us faded away. The world contained only me and Draco, revolving on the spot in time with the music.

I rested my head against his chest, inhaling his sweet smell. I wanted this to go on forever. It felt right.

"You look absolutely beautiful tonight," he whispered into my ear, sending little tremors down my spine.

"You look wonderful yourself," I whispered back.

The music didn't last long enough. Soon, the beat picked up again, and people separated slightly and continued dancing.

"Let's keep dancing," I shouted as Draco loosened his hold on me.

He didn't complain. He was a bloody good dancer too. He pulled moves I've never seen before. He had me laughing and smiling uncontrollably. Each time I would laugh, he would get this look on his face, raise his eyebrow suggestively, and bust out another move. Soon, we were both laughing uncontrollably and falling over each other.

At one point, Harry caught my eye. He sort of gave Draco an appraising look behind his back, then looked back to me and smiled as if to say that no matter what, he would be happy for me. I smiled back and went back to dancing with Draco.

"I'm thirsty. Let's go get something!" Draco shouted at me.

"Okay!"

He grabbed my hand and led me over to the refreshments table. We both grabbed butterbeers and found a place to sit down: the couch in front of the fire.

He draped his arm across my shoulders. "This is one hell of a party, Sarai."

"I know. I've never been to anything like it. I'm having fun, are you?"

Draco looked straight into my eyes. "I am now that I'm with you."

I giggled. "I'd have to say the same thing. Before you found me, I wasn't having much fun at all."

He responded by doing another one of his immeasurably sweet acts: he picked up my hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it.

I felt a blush creep up into my face. "Draco, stop, you're making me blush."

"But it makes you look so pretty."

I giggled again. "You, Mister Malfoy, have a bad habit of being too sweet to me. What have I done to deserve it?"

"Sarai, you are a sweet person. It's hard not to act this way when I'm around you."

The blush deepened. Draco grinned.

We sat there, watching everyone party around us and drinking our butterbeers in silence.

Draco looked over at me. "What do you say to taking a walk with me?"

"And leave the party?"

"We'll come back later. I have a feeling this will take awhile to wind down anyways. We have all the time in the world."

I got up and took his hand when he offered it to me. He led me out of the portrait hole.

"When is this thing going to be over?" The portrait, the Fat Lady, demanded.

We shrugged. "Whenever people get tired?" Draco suggested.

The Fat Lady glared at us as we walked away.

We strolled the corridors in silence. I was aware that my hand was still locked with Draco's, but I didn't pull it away.

Draco led me to a corridor where one whole side of it was nothing but windows. We went over to them and looked out.

It was a clear, beautiful night. The moon was full and bathing us in moonlight. The grounds looked so pretty. The trees were changing colors, and the moon lit them all up. Shadows were everywhere, making the night seem almost magical.

"Oh, it's so beautiful," I sighed in delight.

Draco didn't look away from my face. "Not as beautiful as you are."

I tore my eyes away from the night and looked up into Draco's eyes. My stomach did a weird sort of flip flop.

"Can I give you the present I got you?" he asked.

"You didn't have to get me anything," I said.

"But I wanted to." he said as he pulled out a small wrapped box.

My hands shook slightly as I took the box from his outstretched hand. I pulled the ribbon off and opened the lid.

My hands absolutely trembled when I pulled out the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. Two snakes wound together to form the ring and were inlaid with green and red gems. It was made of the best quality goblin-wrought silver money could buy.

My eyes filled with happy tears. I looked up at him.

"Read the inscription," he whispered, turned the ring in hold.

I held it up to the light and read it.

_Two halves make a whole. Without my better half, I wouldn't exist. Love forever and always, Draco._

My heart swelled with utter happiness. My eyes threatened to spill over as I looked up at him again.

"Thank you Draco. Thank you so much. You don't know what it means to me. I've felt so lost and alone these past couple of months. . ."

"Shhhh."

He reached out a hand and brought it to my face. His thumb wiped away a tear that was snaking its way down my cheek. With the other hand, he picked up my right hand and slipped the ring onto one of my fingers.

He looked me in the eyes again. My stomach did a somersault. He moved closer. His eyes sparkled in the moonlight. He kept moving closer, closer.

He was much too close. I could have counted the eyelashes on his eyes.

The thought quickly vanished when Draco's lips met mine.

In his eyes, I was complete.


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Twelve**

**Ginny's POV**

From my position on the dance floor, I saw Sarai get up and leave the common room with Draco. She looked so happy when she was around him; it was nice to see that she was smiling and laughing for once. She tried to act happy when she hung around us, but there was always something lingering in her eyes even when she smiled.

But with Draco it was different. You could tell that she was entirely happy when she was with him. That mask she wore when she was around everyone else came off, and you could actually see her inner beauty coming through.

At this particular moment, I felt something I guess I would call fondness towards Ferret Boy.

What the bloody hell is wrong with me tonight? Did I actually just think I had a feeling of fondness towards Ferret Boy?

Oh well. If it means Sarai's happiness, then by all means, Ferret Boy, work your magic. It's nice to see her happy.

I danced for a few more minutes before a thought came to me. Sarai was only wearing that skinny-ass dress, and it was damn cold out in those corridors at night. I decided that, being the nice person I am, I would take her a jacket so she wouldn't be cold.

'Bloody hell you are, Ginevra, you just want to know what they're up to,' a voice in the back of my head said.

No I don't. I'm honestly concerned for my friend's well being.

'Liar,' the voice said.

I am not lying!

'The bloody hell you aren't. Quit denying it.'

Why don't you shut the fuck up and leave me alone?

'Fine, but don't lie to yourself. It's bad for your health.'

Go to hell. Merlin, I hate my conscience sometimes.

I walked out of the portrait hole and went searching for Sarai and Ferret Boy. I walked along, shivering slightly at my own chilliness having neglected to bring something of my own to wrap up in.

Good going, Ginny. You're so wrapped up in Sarai's business that you forget to bring something to wear yourself. You're such a dumbass.

Up ahead, I heard quiet voices. It was coming from a corridor that branched off the one I was walking.

I rounded the corner in time to see Malfoy move forward and attach himself firmly to Sarai's lips.

Holy hell.

I felt so happy for Sarai. She's finally not so alone anymore! She's finally found someone.

I realized I was standing there like an idiot, watching the two of them snog happily.

Okay, enough of that. Time to get the hell out of here before either one of them notices me.

I walked as quickly as possibly back to the common room and back to the party. The Fat Lady glared at me as I approached.

"Do you know what time it is?" she demanded irritably.

"No, but I bet you do," I said innocently.

"It's a bloody quarter to eleven! I'm trying to get some sleep here! Can't you get rid of them all?"

"They won't listen to me. Why don't you go visit that portrait of Godric Gryffindor over the mantel and yell at them all? They might listen to you, that is, if they can even hear you over the music."

"Oh this is preposterous!" The Fat Lady exclaimed before swinging forward to admit me to the common room.

I walked in and found Hermione, Ron and Harry dancing still. I positively beamed as I approached them.

"You will never guess what I just saw!"

**Sarai's POV**

I nearly melted at Draco's touch.

Every time he touched me, I got this swooping feeling in my stomach, and my heart would begin to race. My breathing would quicken, and I'd feel lightheaded.

But Merlin, did it feel good.

I thought my heart would explode when Draco's mouth met mine. His lips were incredibly soft.

And might I add, incredibly skilled.

A brief flitting of mortification skittered across my brain as he kissed me. I had never been kissed before. Merlin I hope he couldn't tell. That would be the last thing I needed to hear about. Sarai, the amateur kisser.

I quickly shrugged it off and put all my efforts into returning Draco's gesture.

When he finally broke away, there was something new in his eyes. Before, it seemed that his eyes, no matter how happy he was, always had a void in them that could never be filled. But now, as I looked him in the eyes, I could see that the void had disappeared.

"You're my other half," he whispered softly.

"And you, mine," I whispered back.

He wrapped me in a tight hug. Again, I felt that feeling that made me feel more complete, more grounded, and more safe.

"We should get back. People will be wondering where we've gone." He said as he let me go.

I grabbed his hand as we began walking back to the party. I smiled at him when he looked at me, his eyebrow raised.

We walked back to the portrait of the Fat Lady in silence, not needing to speak. Once again, the Fat Lady glared at us.

"For Merlin's sake! If you're going to have a party, the least you could do is not bother me again until the bloody party is over! Can't anyone see I'm trying to sleep around here?"

"Sorry," we apologized as we came through the hole.

By then, the party was winding down. People were starting to leave. They all said good bye as Draco and I walked past them going the opposite way into the common room.

Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Ron were all standing near the fireplace, clearly in the middle of a blazing row. Ron was looking murderous about something, while Harry was trying to calm him down. Ginny looked equally livid about something, and was halfway through yelling at him.

". . .dammit, Ron, if she's happy, then just leave her the hell alone! Why do you care anyways?"

"I don't think that's any of your business, Ginevra! Besides, it's goddamn Ferret Boy we're talking about here!"

"Um, hi guys. Are we interrupting something?" I asked cautiously as we approached the two livid redheads.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing with Sarai?" Ron yelled at Draco.

I stared at Ron, not understanding this at all. Clearly, Draco didn't either.

"What ever are you talking about, Weasel?" he asked rather coldly.

"Why the hell are you snogging our friend?" Ron bellowed, his face as red as a tomato.

"How the bloody hell do you know that?" Draco demanded.

"Yeah, how _do_ you know that, Ron?" I asked.

Wait a minute.

"_Ginny,_" I said, my tone hardening as I looked around at the female redhead.

Her face turned bright crimson. "You know, I think I'll be going to bed now," she said quickly, darting around us and absolutely sprinting up the spiral stairway.

"Ron, what bloody difference does it make? Sarai, and Mal-I mean Draco are both Slytherins, so who cares? We're supposed to be her friends. Friends don't care about this kind of stuff," Harry tried to reason with Ron.

"But, but, but," Ron sputtered out, clearly realizing that he was fighting a losing battle.

"Ron, I'm happy. Isn't that what matters?" I asked.

"But why him?" he almost whined.

"What's the matter with me, Weaselbee?" Draco asked dryly.

"You're a foul, cold hearted, sadistic git!" he nearly howled.

"Ron, get a grip on yourself. I am allowed to go out with whomever I choose to go out with. I would think, being my friend, that you would realize that." I said, my tone slightly icy.

Ron seemed to be fighting some sort of internal battle. Finally, his face screwed up as though it was costing him his life, he spoke.

"If he's the one you choose, then I'm. . .happy. . .for you."

"See? I knew you'd understand!" I said brightly, squeezing his arm a little.

Hermione beamed at me and exchanged a look with me that clearly said, "Boys."

"Well, I'm starting to feel a little tired, so I think Draco and I will call it a night. Thank you so much you guys. You made my birthday so much better." I said, hugging them all in turn.

They bade us good night and Draco and I left the common room for our own, still holding hands.

We collapsed onto the couch in front of the fire when we got back. The common room was deserted, but the fire was still blazing furiously. Draco wrapped an arm around my shoulders again, and I snuggled into him, curling my feet up onto the couch.

"You've helped make this one of the best nights of my life, Draco," I whispered sleepily.

"You've helped make my life more complete," he whispered into my hair.

"I'm glad we've got each other. I would never be able to make it through all this without you."

"I'm here for you always. Remember that, you don't have to fight your battles alone," he said, stroking my shoulder softly.

"For that, I am thankful," I whispered.

Then we were quiet, lost in our own thoughts. My eyes grew heavier and heavier.

I fell asleep listening to Draco's heart beat.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Snape's POV**

What to do? What to do?

I paced back and forth in my office, too restless to sit down. My insufferable daughter was weighing heavy on my mind tonight, and try as I might, I could not get the ungrateful brat out of my head.

'Ah, Severus, is she ungrateful though?' a voice in the back of my head said.

Good point. She should be highly resentful of me at the moment. I abandoned her and her mother. Thank you for pointing that out.

'You're welcome.'

Wait a minute! What the bloody hell am I doing, listening to a bloody voice in my head?

You idiot, you're finally cracking up. They told you for years it would happen, and it finally has.

I'm a bloody nutcase. Bloody wonderful.

Anyways, I had to figure out a way to get my daughter to talk to me. She had no clue how much danger she really was in. The Dark Lord was out to find her, and when he did, he would torture her and kill her.

My only daughter, my child, would be murdered because of me.

A sudden surge of guilt pulsed through my veins. If I hadn't chosen the path I had back in my days at Hogwarts as a student, none of this would ever have happened. Of course, this would probably mean that I might not have even had a child now, but who's to say?

You're a bloody fucking screw up, Severus. You're bound for hell either way you look at it.

I couldn't stand it any longer. I swept out of my office, intent on going to the Slytherin common room and forcing Sarai to talk to me. I would do whatever it took to get her to understand things.

I swept through the maze of corridors in the dungeons, finally stopping outside the common room. I gave the password and walked into the darkened room.

My eyes glanced all around, not seeing anyone at first. A second gaze proved me wrong. I caught sight of a brilliantly blonde head just peeking over the top of the couch by the fire.

Draco Malfoy. But wait, there was sliver of black hair on his shoulder that I could see. He was not alone.

My brain quickly put two and two together.

With a couple of long strides, I was across the room in a flash, peering down at the two people on the couch.

My daughter was curled up in the young Malfoy's arms.

Internally, I groaned. This exactly what I had warned the stupid girl about! She had to avoid, at all costs, the things that would put her in danger the most. And this was exactly what Malfoy was. He was an even bigger threat than I was. His father, a good friend of mine, was the Dark Lord's right hand man.

What the bloody hell is she thinking?

I looked down at the two of them again. She was apparently asleep. He was staring into the fire, stroking her hair.

"Sarai! What do you think you're doing?" I demanded harshly.

The younger Malfoy jumped. Sarai shook in her sleep, blearily opening one eye. When she saw me, she sat up in a hurry.

"What the hell do you want?" she asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

"Oh that's a nice way to greet your father. What are you doing with Mr. Malfoy here?" I demanded again.

Her face became tinged with a slight shade of red. "What do you mean, what am I doing with him? Am I not allowed to have friends now, is that it?"

She was glaring at me coldly. I never knew that glare of mine could be so cold.

"Don't take that tone with me, young lady. From what I just saw, it doesn't look like you two are just friends."

Malfoy had laid a hand on her arm, trying to calm her. She shook his hand off and stood up to face me better.

"So what do you care if we're aren't just friends? Am I not allowed to date anyone? Am I just to be completely alone here?" She demanded icily.

"What did I warn you about last week?" I hissed. "Did I not clearly explain to you that you were in danger, and that you needed to avoid all danger at all costs?"

"Yeah, you made that pretty damn clear. So what does Draco have to do with it?" Her voice rose slightly, her eyes unnaturally bright.

Looking at her, I suddenly saw Madeleine. Her eyes used to glow brightly when she would get angry with me.

_**Flashback**_

"_Come on, Maddie, tell me what I did. I hate when you're angry at me," I pleaded, trying to pick up one of her hands._

_She yanked it away. "No matter what I do to try to change you, you resist at all costs."_

_I sighed. "Maddie, we've had this talk before. No matter what you do, I will not change. This is who I am. If you cannot accept that. . ." I trailed off._

"_If I can't accept that, then maybe I should just leave you? Is that it?" Her voice rose and her eyes took on that brightness that only happened when she was really angry._

"_That's not what I'm saying. You should realize that I will never change. What you see is what you get."_

"_Madeleine, I love you," I said firmly, picking up her hand again and holding it firmly. "What do I have to do to prove that to you?"_

_When she looked up at me again, her eyes were bright from tears. "You never touch me, Severus. You're always so cold. You don't realize it, because you're always so cold to everyone. But you never touch me. I never know what you're feeling, and I feel so alone sometimes. It doesn't feel like you love me."_

_I stepped closer to her. "I can fix that."_

That was the night I lost her forever. I had proved to her that I loved her, and then she saw the Mark. Just when I had got that bright, hard look out of her eyes, and it was back. And now, here was the product of that love, and that same, hard bright look glaring at me.

"Draco has everything to do with it. His father is right in the Dark Lord's inner ring. You're closer to the Dark Lord now than you were before!"

Draco stood up, his normally pale face flushed. "Excuse me, _sir,_ but I made Sarai a promise that I would protect her at all costs. Do you really think that I am willing to give in to my father to give him what the Dark Lord wants?" He demanded angrily.

I surveyed him darkly. "Draco, I know what your father is like. He will do what it takes to get what he wants for the Dark Lord. If he finds out. . ." I trailed off.

"I won't let him get her," he said fiercely.

"You are also sixteen years old. Do you really think you can stand up to the Dark Lord?" I asked him incredulously.

"I know more than you think I do," he hissed.

I snorted. "Right. I'll believe that."

"Why don't you just go away and leave me the hell alone?" Sarai asked, low.

I looked back at her. Her eyes were full of tears. "I am merely trying to get you out of harm's way."

"The hell you are! How can I trust you? How? I don't know you, I don't want to know you, and I sure as hell don't want to trust you."

"Sarai, I am your only chance," I started, but she cut me off.

"Yeah right. That's a bunch of bloody horse shit. You're just trying to get on my good side, to get to know my secrets, my weaknesses, so that the instant he asks, you can just chuck me to the Dark Lord and get rewarded beyond your wildest dreams!"

Draco came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

I think it's time you leave sir. I think you've said enough." he said to me.

There was no point in arguing with them any longer. She wouldn't listen to me no matter what frame of mind she was in. Malfoy wouldn't listen to me either. They were both with each other no matter what I said.

Damn it all to bloody fucking hell.

I stormed out of the common room angrily, my robes billowing out around me as I walked quickly back to my office. I was hardly there, however, when a burning pain on my left arm nearly made my knees buckle.

I shoved back my sleeve. The Mark called me to him.

Oh bloody hell.

This wasn't good. I may be an accomplished Occlumens, but the Dark Lord always knows when someone is lying.

My anger didn't help either.

Fuck.

I made a detour and strode up the stairs to the entrance hall and out the doors. I walked quickly across the moonlit grounds, hoping not to be seen. Once I was outside the gates, I hastily Apparated to my master.

The room was dark as I approached him, standing by the fire. A towering figure, the air around him seemed to radiate coldness and evil.

"Yes, Master? I am here to serve you," I said as I bowed quickly.

He looked around at me. His cold, catlike eyes surveyed me.

"How are you coming along with your daughter?"

I could not lie to him. It would do me no good. It would only earn me a few rounds with the Cruciatus Curse.

"Not so well, I'm afraid," I muttered, bowing my head.

"This does not please me, Severus. I thought I told you that you were to get close to her?"

"You did, Master, but this girl, it is impossible to get through that shell of hers! She's too much like me. Master, she can close her mind off from me! I've tried to penetrate her mind, to get information that way, but it is impossible! I don't think she knows she can do it, but she can, and I can gain nothing from her by just talking to her."

My master did not say anything, he merely stood there looking at me. I knew what he was trying to do, and I made no attempt to stop him. It was pointless.

"You know something, Severus. I can feel it. You are hiding it."

"No, Master, I merely have yet to mention it. There is something, concerning her."

"Well? What is it?" he asked impatiently.

"Master, I have reason to believe that she is involved with the Malfoy boy."

He stood there, thinking. Then, suddenly, a smile, a grotesque smile, lit his merciless face.

"Oh, this is news. This is very good news. Well done, Severus. You have helped Lord Voldemort yet again. This will only further our cause."

He paced around for a few minutes.

Suddenly he stopped.

"Wormtail?" he called imperiously.

Seconds later, a man came darting into the room. He was small, balding, and missing a finger.

"Y-y-yes, Master?"

"Fetch me our dear friend, Lucius. I have news."

The man quickly ran from the room. My master looked back to me.

"Sit down, Severus. We have plans to make."

I did what I was told, although dread rapidly set in. I had just as good as handed my daughter to the Dark Lord.

But I had promised her I would keep her safe.

Filthy fucking hypocrite.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Sarai's POV**

"Fucking idiot," I muttered as my father strode from the room.

Draco's arms tightened around my waist, pressing me further into his chest.

"Don't pay any attention to him. I'll bet you anything he's trying to get closer to you, like you said."

"Yeah, that'd be him. Bloody fucking moron."

"Look, we've both had long days. Why don't we just go to bed? It beats sitting here thinking about what just happened."

"Might as well. I'm sure I'll probably just end up stewing about it once I crawl into bed," I murmured darkly.

Draco spun me around. "Don't let him bother you. Just forget about him. You're safe here at Hogwarts. This place is practically impenetrable. The Dark Lord can't get you here. Dumbledore, crazy as he is, won't let him get you. You just gotta play it safe, that's all."

"I know I'm safe. You're here, remember?" I said, resting my arms on his shoulders.

"Exactly," he said, flashing me that smile I loved so much before leaning forward to catch me in a kiss.

We both broke away, reluctantly. We both knew that if we didn't stop then, we'd never stop.

Damn him. Why does he have to be so fucking desirable?

We both said good night and went to our dormitories, fully wishing that we were, ahem, spending the night with each other.

I crawled into my four poster, drawing the hangings around me shut, and pulling my covers up to my chin.

My father is such a blooming idiot.

I hate him so much that I wish him nothing but the bloodiest death, preferably one that involves a chimaera, a rocky cliff, and a couple of dementors.

I drifted off to sleep, subconsciously plotting my own father's death.

It was a nice thought.

I woke up in the morning feeling oddly refreshed. I stretched widely and peered through my hangings to look at my alarm clock. Ten thirty on a Saturday morning.

I sighed and dragged myself out of bed. I got a drink of water from the basin on the other side of the room and went to my wardrobe to get dressed.

I was pulling my sweater on when someone smacked me violently on the side of the head and knocked me to the floor.

I tried to grab my wand, but my attacker kicked out at my hand.

I turned my head to see who it was.

Pansy Parkinson, that good-for-nothing, worthless whore who would screw anything that had testosterone.

"What the hell. . ." I started.

"What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing, touching my Draco!" she screamed at me.

I blinked a couple times, attempting to comprehend what she was saying. I was still bloody tired, barely awake as it was.

"What do you mean, _your_ Draco?"

"You heard me bitch! He's _mine_ so get your filthy hands off him!"

"Oh really?" I said in a deadly voice.

"You better goddamn believe it."

I pushed myself up off the floor. She had her wand pointed directly in my face.

"You'd better goddamn get that wand out of my face before I take it and stick it as far up your ass as it will go," I hissed.

"Bring it on, bitch."

Before I could do another thing, my favorite person appeared in the doorway.

"What the hell is going on here?" Draco asked, taking in the scene before him.

"Draco! Draco, you aren't actually going out with this bitch, are you?" Pansy simpered.

Draco's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Excuse me?"

"Draco, you can't go out with her! You love me, remember? You love me!" Pansy threw herself towards him.

He darted out of the way and she tripped and fell to the floor.

"Pansy, I don't know what the _fuck_ your problem is, but you had better damn well get over it fast. Get it through that goddamn ugly head of yours that we are not going out, we never will go out, and I can't fucking stand you!" He yelled.

Pansy looked up at him, her face shocked.

Draco grabbed my hand. "Come on, let's go get some breakfast."

I grabbed my wand off the night stand and we stepped over the pug faced whore and walked out of the common room together.

"Merlin, that girl hates me," I said, rubbing my head where she smacked me.

"What'd she do?"

"She fucking hit me upside the head!"

He sighed. "I'm sorry. She has possessive issues."

I snorted. "Obviously."

We entered the Great Hall and sat down at our table. I was halfway through my scrambled eggs when Harry, Hermione, and Ron entered the Hall. They came over to talk.

"Good morning," Hermione said, plopping down on my other side.

"Hi guys, sleep well?"

"I did," she said.

"Y-yeah," Ron yawned. "It didn't sound like Harry did though. He kept muttering in his sleep and stuff."

Harry shot Ron a look.

"I had a dream about You-Know-Who. I woke up because my scar started hurting again, and I felt this weird ecstatic feeling in my stomach. He's happy about something. Really happy about something."

Beside me, on my other side, Draco froze. My stomach did a weird flip flop before plummeting. I snapped my head to the High Table to see if my father was there.

He wasn't.

I looked back at the others. I hadn't told them that the Dark Lord was after me. They all looked at me rather funny.

"Sarai, what's wrong?" Ron asked, looking worried.

I looked around to see who was listening in.

"I'll explain it later. You guys go eat breakfast, and meet me and Draco out by the lake. We can talk out there."

They didn't look very happy with me, but got up and went to go eat anyways. I turned back to Draco.

"Do you think. . .?" I couldn't bring myself to finish my sentence.

"Let's not think about it," he said tensely.

Merlin, I hope this didn't mean what I thought it meant.

**Draco's POV**

Despite my displeasure that the Golden Trio joined us at breakfast for a few minutes, I was glad they did in the end. Potter's revelation that he had dreamed about the Dark Lord and got a feeling that was not his had been enlightening.

And bloody fucking unnerving as well.

Sarai's face had paled considerably at this news. I knew she hadn't told them that the Dark Lord was after her yet, and they all looked at her worriedly.

This wasn't good. Somehow, I knew that the Dark Lord knew something. It wasn't a good feeling. Nobody wanted to know what the Dark Lord was feeling. I imagine Potter didn't appreciate it either.

I squeezed Sarai's hand as they left to go eat.

"It'll be okay. Don't worry."

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She went back to eating her scrambled eggs and bacon.

I choked down another couple of pieces of toast and washed them down with some pumpkin juice.

I got a bad feeling about all this. Something told me my father would be pushing extra hard for me to join up with the Dark Lord when he found out that I was involved with Sarai.

This could turn hellishly ugly, fast.

I glanced around the Hall, feeling uneasy. Suddenly, I spotted my father's owl swooping down towards me.

My stomach jumped into my throat. I had to force my toast to stay down.

The owl landed in front of me, giving me a look that reminded me strongly of my father when he wanted something.

My hands shook slightly as I pulled off the parchment from the owl's leg. The owl nipped my finger hard before taking flight again.

I unrolled the parchment.

_Draco-_

_Thanks to your dear Potions master, I now know that you are involved with a certain someone that the Dark Lord so dearly wishes to get a hold of. This is where you can make me proud Draco. If you help me hand her to the Dark Lord, you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams. Think of the good of the cause Draco! If you refuse, well, let's just say you will not have a very good time the next time I see you. Do not disappoint me son. I'm counting on you._

_Lucius_

Oh fuck.

He knows.

"Shit," I whispered in despair. I looked up at Sarai, who looked frightened.

"Sarai, he knows."


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Sarai's POV**

Bloody hell.

I'm barely here at school for two weeks and already there's a damn good chance that I could be dead by next week.

Why me?

I looked up at Draco. My fear increased a tenfold.

"What are we going to do?" I whispered.

"We have to go to Dumbledore. And_ you_ can't leave the castle.**"**

My indignation grew as well. "What do you mean, I can't leave the castle?"

"Exactly what I said. Anyone could come out of the Forbidden Forest and grab you," he said.

"My life might as well be over then, if I can't leave the castle."

"It will be if you do leave the castle!" he exclaimed.

"Fine. I won't leave the castle. I'll go tell the others to meet us in the Room of Requirement," I said sulkily.

I got up and marched over to Gryffindor Table.

"Meet us in the Room of Requirement instead. Draco and I need to speak to Dumbledore," I said as soon as they looked around at me.

"But why. . .?" Ron started, but I cut him off.

"Don't ask me now! We have to hurry. Just meet us in the Room of Requirement!"

I walked back to Draco and we left the Hall. Draco led the way to an ugly statue of a gargoyle.

"Shit! I don't know the password!" Draco exclaimed, smacking himself on the forehead.

I looked around. The corridor was deserted, other than a painting of a grumpy looking monk, who was watching us moodily.

I had a sudden idea.

"Excuse me, sir, but do you know what the password is?" I asked sweetly as I walked over to the painting.

"If I do, I wouldn't tell you," the monk grunted.

"Why not?"

"The headmaster doesn't need to be bothered."

"But we have important matters to discuss with him."

Draco walked over to me. He yanked out his wand.

"Here's an idea, you miserable old dingbat. Give us the password before I blast a hole through your lovely painting."

The monk's eyes snapped to the wand. He eyed it nervously. Looking back to Draco, whose face was cold, he spoke again in what was a would-be calm voice.

"All right, all right. The password is 'sugar quill', but don't go telling people I told you."

"Thank you!" I called as Draco practically pulled me back to the stone gargoyle. He gave the gargoyle the password and it slid away to reveal a moving stone staircase.

"Come on," Draco said, marching me onto the stairs. Behind us, the gargoyle slid shut.

The stairs carried us up to a handsome oak door with a griffin shaped knocker.

Draco knocked three times before entering, grabbing my hand as we entered.

Dumbledore sat behind his desk, writing something on a piece of parchment with a fancy eagle quill. He looked up at us, his eyes twinkling.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Shulamith. Good morning to you both."

"Good morning, Headmaster," I said politely.

"Please, sit down, both of you. What brings you here to speak to me on this fine Saturday morning?"

We both sat down in front of his desk. Without speaking, Draco thrust his father's letter out to Dumbledore. Brow furrowed slightly, Dumbledore took it and adjusted his glasses before reading it.

"Well, this is certainly enlightening. Mr. Malfoy, your father has been speaking with Professor Snape, I take it?"

"Yes, sir."

"And I am correct in saying that this 'certain someone' that is mentioned in this letter would be none other than Miss Shulamith here?"

I nodded.

"The Order has known for several months now that Lord Voldemort has an interest in you, Miss Shulamith. That is why I brought you here to Hogwarts, to keep you safe."

"Sir, with all due respect, I don't think I'm much safer here than I was at home," I said, looking up to look Dumbledore in the eyes.

"Why is that?" he asked kindly, studying me over his spectacles.

"Sir, I'm not exactly sure if you know this, probably not, since you brought me here, but, last week, my father summoned me to his office to have a talk with me. After trying to reason with me, and trying to explain things, I discovered that my father is a Death Eater."

Dumbledore said nothing, he merely continued to look at me over his spectacles.

"Sir, did you hear Sarai? Snape's a Death Eater," Draco said.

"Yes, yes, Mr. Malfoy, I heard her. But perhaps she is not up to speed with everything. Severus Snape _was_a Death Eater. He is no longer a Death Eater."

"Sir, again, with all due respect, I saw the Mark with my own eyes. I asked him if he was still serving the Dark Lord, and he told me he was. He still is a Death Eater. Not was, but _is_." I said, almost with despair, thinking the old man wouldn't believe me.

Dumbledore looked at me. It was odd, almost piercing look, like he was trying to see my soul, to see if I was telling the truth.

"I see no reason why you would make something like this up, as much as you dislike your father. Nobody would make up a lie like this. I can see why you would feel that you are not as safe here as you would like to be. This is a serious matter."

"Sir, she cannot be allowed out of the castle. Anyone could grab her," Draco said urgently.

The old man looked over at him. "Yes, I quite agree. Sarai, you are not to leave the castle unless you have an escort, other than for lessons. Even then, you are not to walk by yourself. You are to be with someone at all times."

"Yes, sir," I said sullenly.

"As a precaution, I will summon some of the Order to keep watch here."

I looked up. "Sir, that really shouldn't be necessary, I'll be okay, really, just as long as I'm not alone," I protested.

"Miss Shulamith, this is not a matter to take lightly. If your father really is still serving Lord Voldemort, than we cannot take the risk. Even though I trust he wouldn't turn his own daughter over, we cannot risk someone else getting into the castle and getting to you."

"Oh fine, then. I guess it's all for the best."

"And Mr. Malfoy, you are, by no account, to allow your father the opportunity to get to Sarai. You are to keep close watch on her, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. I wouldn't help my father if my life depended on it."

"Good then. Just remember what I said, both of you. Keep constant watch, don't walk alone, and if you need to leave the castle for something other than lessons, you are to be with a teacher. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," we both said.

"Good. Well, I suggest you two get on with enjoying your weekend."

We got up and left his office. We set out for the Room of Requirement to meet the others.

"This will be fun. I'm gonna be followed at all times. Please tell me I at least get to visit the girls' toilet alone," I said, looking at Draco.

His mouth twitched. "I think we can arrange for someone to accompany you there. That is, if you don't want me following you in there."

I rolled my eyes. "You, sir, need to get your head out of the gutter."

He pouted jokingly, and I swatted his arm to get the look off his face.

"Hey," he protested.

"In due time, Draco, in due time," I assured him.

We reached the corridor that the Room of Requirement was located in, and saw that the door was already there. The others had arrived.

Draco opened the door for me and I walked in to be greeted by three pairs of eyes glaring at me for leaving them hanging.

"Took you long enough," Ron accused.

"Sorry, we had to explain some things to Dumbledore," I apologized.

"Well, come on, sit down. We've been waiting long enough. What's so important that you haven't told us yet?" Harry asked, clearly impatient.

Draco and I sat down on the floor next to them. They all looked anxious, but mostly impatient.

"Well, the thing is, this all has to do with Severus," I began, avoiding their eyes.

"Stupid git," Harry muttered involuntarily.

I managed to suppress my grin. "Yeah, he is that, but that's not it. My first full day here, the first day of classes, he summoned me to his office after dinner to speak to me. Not much was said, but I definitely learned a lot."

They all looked at me, puzzled.

"There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it outright. Severus is a Death Eater, and he's still serving the Dark Lord."

Their reactions were predictable: Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth and looked horrified; Ron gave an odd yelp and fell backwards off the cushion he was sitting on; Harry, however, merely looked grim and resigned.

"This has something to do with why Voldemort was happy last night, doesn't it?" he asked.

I nodded. "My father found out last night when we got back to the common room after the party that Draco and I are seeing each other. My guess is he had a little meeting with the Dark Lord last night, and he told his master that I was involved with Draco. That's where Draco's father comes in. He sent Draco a letter this morning saying that the Dark Lord knows that we're seeing each other, and that he wants Draco to help him hand me over to the Dark Lord. He threatened Draco, saying the next time he saw him, he would be punished. He also told him to think of the 'good of the cause.'"

The three of them suddenly turned to glare at Draco.

"Hey, don't look at me like that. There's no way in hell that I'll help my father out. I hate him, and I love Sarai. Why the hell would I hand her over to the Dark Lord?" Draco defended.

"You better bloody get this straight now, Ferret Boy. If I so much as hear a whisper about you betraying Sarai, I will personally make sure that you are fed straight to a manticore. Got that?" Ron said in a deadly voice.

"Chill, Weasel. I am not going to betray Sarai. Merlin, what do you guys think I am?"

"We know how you've been in the past, Malfoy. We don't want to see our friend wind up dead." Hermione spoke up.

"I promise you all, I will not hurt Sarai. I care for her too much. Relax." Draco said.

Hermione seemed to believe him, though Harry and Ron looked rather wary.

"Guys, he's telling the truth. I believe him. It's my father I'm worried about," I said, my gut twisting uncomfortably.

"Yeah, goddamn Snape. We always knew he was evil," Ron said contemptuously.

"Yeah, see Hermione? He's not as innocent as you tried to make him out as," Harry added.

"I would have never thought he would have gone this far," she defended herself.

"Guys, just drop it. There's not point in arguing about it. What's done is done, we now know his deal. Let's just go enjoy the rest of our weekend, okay?" I spoke up, suddenly tired of the discussion.

They all went silent, looking around at me and seeing my weary face. They all nodded and stood up. Draco grabbed my hand as we walked out of the Room of Requirement. We passed the weekend hanging out with each other and talking, though not of the subject that was greatest in everyone's minds.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Sixteen**

**Sarai's POV**

The following month passed by quietly. I avoided my father as much as possible, though I couldn't escape his Potions classes. However, he was smart enough to realize that I would fly off the handle if he tried to talk to me again.

Stupid bastard finally caught on. It was a miracle.

Draco had stayed true to his word to Dumbledore. He would not let me out of his sight no longer than five minutes. He didn't even want me sleeping alone in my dormitory without him there. I refused him though, I had to draw the line somewhere. Besides, where would we sleep?

All right, fine, I'll admit it, that was the only thing holding me back from allowing him to stay with me during the night. There was no place to sleep together without snide comments or retribution from our fellow Slytherins.

And I was not keen on getting smacked upside the head again by the whore.

Of course, I didn't tell the others this. The only way I got Draco to quit hounding me about using the toilet alone was to use it during the day when I was with Hermione and Ginny.

Even then he wasn't happy.

And no, I'm not stupid! I'm perfectly capable of seeing that my boyfriend is an impatient whore dog.

But I'm not the average girl. From what Draco has told me, I'm the first one to ever resist his advances. He has told me on an occasion that most girls would jump at the chance to have him shag them senseless.

I really didn't need to know that. I just told him to be patient. I wasn't going to jump at the chance simply because it was there. He had to learn to respect girls.

It was driving him bloody crazy too, and I admit, part of me had a sick pleasure in tormenting him like this. Sure, I would sneak off with him and have a cozy little snog session, and possibly get to the point where he was ready to rip my clothes off, but then, I would disengage myself from him slightly and tell him that I wasn't quite ready yet.

Merlin, the looks he gave me when I did that.

It was kind of fun.

You have serious issues, Sarai. You are bloody fucked up.

I only admit that because it's so easy to blame it on my father.

Damn do I need therapy.

Anyways, the following weeks passed quietly. I spent my time in everyone else's company, afraid to wander off on my own. Despite Dumbledore's assurances that I was perfectly safe in the castle, I wasn't willing to become that one statistic that proved him wrong. Maybe I was paranoid, but I didn't trust my father any further than I could throw him.

And I couldn't throw him a meter.

Halloween was approaching, and with that, the opportunity for everyone else to visit the village, Hogsmeade, for the first time. Far from being cheered when Draco announced that he would stay in the castle with me, my spirits took a downward spiral. I didn't want to ruin his day by allowing him to stay with me. He should have some fun of his own too. Pansy Parkinson was sure trying to get him to change his mind.

"Draco, you really should go to Hogsmeade with the rest of us. Why stay in the bloody castle when you can be out _all _day having fun with us?" She interrogated him one night a few days before Halloween.

He gritted his teeth. "For the last bloody fucking time, Pansy, I am staying here in the castle with Sarai. I am perfectly fine with staying here in the castle, and I can hang out with my friends any time I want. I _especially_ do not want to go if you're going. So, be a nice whore, and go _sod off."_

Merlin, if looks could kill. But it wasn't Draco that got the look, it was me. I took the look in stride and took the opportunity to make a _friendly_ gesture at her.

She had half a mind to launch herself at me, but then looked back at Draco, who was glaring coldly at her. She stalked away, muttering to herself as she went.

"You really don't have to stay with me, you know," I said to him as he went back to his roast chicken.

He gave me a look. "As for you, missy, I'll be telling you for the last time that I want to stay with you. And besides, we'll have the castle to ourselves," he said as he raised an eyebrow suggestively.

I laughed. "Can you think about anything else, especially while we're eating?"

A hand strayed to my thigh. "Don't ask me why, but the thought of you eating just turns me on."

I forced myself to swallow the sausage I was eating.

"That had a double meaning!" I choked out, swatting his arm.

"Alas, you've found my flaw. I simply cannot get my head out of the gutter long enough to have a conversation without double meanings," he said simply, a hand over his heart.

His other hand was still on my thigh.

"Get your hand off me, dammit. I'm trying to eat a decent meal here."

His hand withdrew. I looked up at him. His smirk was still there. He didn't bother to hide the fact that he was looking me over.

I gave up trying to eat. "Dammit! You're the one who's been telling me I haven't been eating enough lately! How the bloody hell am I supposed to eat when dirty images keep popping into my head!"

His eyes finished wandering and locked with mine. "I'll try. I will. Maybe I just shouldn't talk."

"And maybe you should do something about those wandering eyes," I suggested, returning to my meal and feeling those eyes all over again.

Draco stood up. "This is bloody impossible. I'll go sit next to Blaise while you eat. Come get me when you finish."

I took the opportunity while his back was to me as he walked away to look him over. Quidditch training did wonders on a male body, I decided. Tall, built, and those shoulders of his wide and strong.

And damn, did he have a nice ass.

I realized I was practically drooling. I shook my head, disgusted with myself, and forced down another couple of bites.

I really needed to put him in a straitjacket. It was the only way to control him. Even if I can't control his mind.

Halloween dawned cold and clear. Nobody could have asked for better weather. I wished that I could join Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron as they left the castle to walk down to Hogsmeade.

"Cheer up," Draco said, putting his hands on my shoulders and massaging them. "You've got me."

"Yeah, but it would be better if we were out there with them," I said wistfully.

We strolled out of the Great Hall, not having any specific place to go.

"So what do you want to do?" I asked.

His eyebrow went up. I suddenly wanted a roll of duct tape.

"Oh wait, never mind, I _know_ what you want," I said sarcastically.

"Please?" he begged.

"Not now, I just ate breakfast," I protested.

He gave me a sad look.

"Oh stop. Geez, I'll think about it!"

His face brightened considerably. "I love you, have I told you that yet today?"

"No, you haven't. But if you keep sucking up to me, I won't think about it at all."

He gave me a disgruntled look.

"I love you," I sang.

"Sure you do," he muttered.

I growled in impatience. "Oh don't start with that bloody, 'if you loved me, you'd do it for me,' business because that's not going to get you anything but a good swift kick to nuts. Got it, buster?"

He looked up at me, shocked. "Damn, we're even more alike than I thought."

"Now that's scary," I teased.

"Hey," he protested.

Then his eyes got this sneaky look in them. He yanked me into a nearby dark, secluded alcove.

"Draco, what in the h-"

He silenced me with his mouth.

What was I about to say?

His tongue explored my mouth with smooth, even strokes.

Whatever it was, it must not have been important.

He turned his attention to my neck.

Nope. Definitely not important.

I tilted my head back to allow him better access. He was ravishing my neck and throat quite thoroughly.

I wasn't complaining.

He was turning into that bad, _bad_ guy that I loved so dearly. And he clearly wasn't that fussed with the idea of all of this going down in a dark alcove where any teacher could stumble upon us.

Okay. That has to change. I'm not risking that miserable, insufferable, moronic git of a father walking down the corridor and discovering this.

Nope. Not gonna happen.

"Draco," I breathed, "why don't we go back to the common room? Or your dormitory? Something, just not here."

"Urghumph," his voice was muffled against the skin beneath my ear.

Dammit, he found my weak spot already. Merlin, he's good.

He broke away from my neck reluctantly. "What's wrong with here?"

"My father," I said simply.

"Ooh, yeah, good thinking."

We started down the stairs nearby. We were halfway down them when a sudden, certain _urge_ hit me.

"Ugh, dammit. Draco, I gotta go."

He looked puzzled. Then comprehension dawned on his face. He got that sneaky look again.

"How about the toilet?" he asked enthusiastically.

"Draco, no. All I'm interested in is stopping in there quickly before continuing this down in the dorms."

"You can't go in there by yourself. What if someone's in there?"

"Draco, I can handle myself. You're the one that's been teaching me all these defensive spells for the past month. I know enough where I can hold someone off until I can get help. Please? I need just a few minutes to myself. That's all."

He looked pained. He was fighting some sort of battle with himself. "Ugh, fine. But if you're not down in the common room within ten minutes, I'm coming to find you. Understand?"

I grinned at him. "Yes, sir!"

I kissed him reassuringly before starting down another corridor, towards the girls' toilet.

I rounded a corner and Draco disappeared from sight. I wasn't really paying attention to much, but I had my wand grasped firmly in my hand in the pocket of my robes, just in case.

I rounded another corner.

Wait a minute. Something didn't seem right here.

I stopped and listened intently. I thought I heard footsteps.

There was nothing.

I shrugged, and continued on towards the toilet. Again, I heard it. I stopped.

What the hell?

I gripped my wand tighter, ready to draw it on a moment's notice. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled uncomfortably, like I was being watched.

I whirled around, drawing my wand. I held it in front of me, moving it from side to side, as though scanning the area for the source of the footsteps.

There! I stopped moving. I heard it again, right in front of me.

"I suggest you show yourself before I start hexing you into oblivion," I announced.

Was it my imagination, or did I hear a soft chuckle issue from the general area in front of me?

"Are you mocking me?" I asked indignantly.

I stood my ground, wand at the ready, waiting for something, anything to happen.

Several seconds ticked by. I was starting to sweat slightly.

With a force greater than a cannon, I was suddenly blown off my feet.

I shrieked with rage, scrambling back up and charging forward.

Stupid thing to do, really. I had no idea where the bloody hell my attacker was at, and I was throwing cautions to the wind, I could be hexed, or killed, at any second.

I rammed into an invisible force. A person, from the way it went, "Oof!" in surprise.

The person toppled backwards, its Invisibility cloak slipping off.

A male, probably late thirties, was scrambling up off the ground. His face was lit with an insane look.

A look of murder.

Oh damn. This isn't good.

He stepped forward towards me. "The Dark Lord wishes to see you," he said, low.

"Well he can just go to hell, because I'm not going," I snapped.

"Hell? You are in hell, darling."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"Don't make me bring you by force, you won't like it very much," he whispered, walking steadily towards me.

"There is no way in bloody fucking hell that I am going with you to see the Dark Lord."

He shrugged. "Have it your way."

Before I could get on my guard, he made a slashing movement with his wand. Something like purple flame shot out from the end of his wand, and surged towards me.

It hit me across the chest.

I fell to the floor, gasping for air. That insane grin was the last thing I saw, that triumphant look in his eyes, before I slumped back, my head smashing into the floor.

The darkness was a blessed release.


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**A.N. **Okay, this chapter will be in Mad Eye Moody's POV. Remember Dumbledore said he was summoning some of the Order to watch after Sarai? Yeah, _now _you remember.

**My Father**

**Chapter Seventeen**

**Mad Eye's POV**

Dumbledore certainly has some bizarre ideas. How could any Death Eater break into Hogwarts, famed for it's enchantments and impossible defenses?

I think the old man is finally off his rocker.

But I came anyways, when he summoned for some of us from the Order to come. Something about keeping an eye on a certain student who was wanted by Voldemort.

Must have done something stupid to antagonize the power hungry, sadistic bastard.

So I set off to the school with Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks.

Neither of them seemed to mind much.

I would rather be out there catching the dumb son-of-a-bitches who were stupid enough to enter into the Dark Arts.

Stupid gits.

Upon arriving at the school, we were to report to Dumbledore in his office.

"Ah, Alastor, Remus, and Nymphadora. Safe journey?" he greeted us.

"Pleasant, thank you," Remus spoke.

"Good, good. Please, sit down, make yourselves comfortable. We have some matters to discuss."

We settled ourselves down and looked at Dumbledore expectantly, waiting for him to brief us on our assignment.

"Well, as you know, I have brought you here because a student of mine is in need of protection. She is a sixth year Slytherin, and her mother has recently passed away."

Remus frowned. "Are you talking about Sarai?"

Dumbledore inclined his head. "Yes, I am."

I frowned. "Wait, who the hell is this Sarai? Why is Voldemort after her?"

Tonks looked at me furiously. "Mad Eye, chill, he's getting to it."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Alastor, Sarai Shulamith lived with her mother in France up until a few months ago, when her mother died. Until I came to fetch her, she was unaware of her father's existence. I brought her to headquarters, and introduced her to her father."

"Well, who is he?"

"Severus Snape," he said simply.

My jaw dropped. "You mean that good-for-nothing, greasy git actually was capable of landing a woman? There is a god."

Dumbledore frowned. "Yes, well, I was unaware, an old man's mistakes, that Severus had not fully abandoned his old ways."

My eyes, both magical and normal, snapped to Dumbledore's face. "You mean to tell us that Snape's still serving Voldemort?"

He inclined his head.

I shook my head. "I told you he would never fully return to us, Dumbledore. I warned you."

Again, he inclined his head. "As I said, an old man's mistakes. This is why Sarai needs protection. We can't risk Severus handing his daughter over to Voldemort so that he can return to Voldemort's good graces once more."

"So we're to guard her, like Harry?" Tonks spoke up.

"Not necessarily guard. Just keep a watch on her, keep a watch on Severus. Let me know is anything odd is going on with him. And tell me when Sarai is in danger. Of course, she is not entirely alone. I have the young Mr. Malfoy watching over her as well."

I snorted with derisive laughter. "Lucius Malfoy's son? Are you sure he's trustworthy?"

"Yes I am, Alastor. He has proven to me that he cares very much for Miss Shulamith."

"Sure it isn't just some act?"

"I am positive. Just make sure that you keep an eye on them both."

We stood up.

"We'll keep watch, Dumbledore, don't worry," Remus assured the old man.

We've been here at the school for a little over a month now. So far, nothing has happened, other than me walking right into a couple of healthy snog sessions.

Damn teenagers, can't seem to control those hormones.

And yes I'm talking about Sarai and Mr. Malfoy.

The third time it happened, I walked away in disgust. I really, _really_ wished I hadn't taken this job on after all.

Tonks thought it was sweet.

"Oh Mad Eye, get over it. They're young, let them have fun. They've finally discovered love."

I snorted. "Yeah, and I'm positive that it's not just some thing that will last a month and he'll be sick of her."

Tonks looked scandalized. "Mad Eye! That's cold! I can tell they really care for one another!"

I chose to change the subject. "Aren't you supposed to be watching Snape?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm getting there, I'm getting there," she grumbled as she stalked away.

My magical eye was following the girl and Mr. Malfoy up the stairs from the entrance hall. All the other students were on their way out to Hogsmeade.

Although my regular eye couldn't see the two lovebirds any longer, my magical eye followed them up through the ceiling.

I sighed. I knew I had to stay in close proximity, just in case.

I stumped up the stairs, being quiet. As part of the secret guard duty, we had to wear our Invisibility cloaks at all times.

I rounded the corner in time to see Mr. Malfoy yank the girl into a dark alcove.

"Oh here we go again," I muttered sourly, moving past the alcove as quietly as possible.

They were a little too busy to notice me.

I rounded the corner and eased myself down onto the floor to wait for their little snog session to end. I tried to ignore the sounds coming from around the corner.

"Damn them, get a room for Merlin's sake," I growled.

Apparently, I was worn out from following two lovesick teenagers around. I ended up falling asleep, despite the noises from around the corner.

How long I was asleep, I'm not sure. The next thing I knew, I jolted awake, looking wildly around.

I could no longer hear any noises from around the corner.

"Damn, Alastor, you let them get away," I muttered, getting up as quickly as my damn leg would let me.

I stumped around the corner. They were no longer in their alcove.

I drew my wand and conjured a Patronus to send a message to Remus and Tonks. They might be closer to them than I was.

I stumped down the hall and down a flight of stairs. They weren't anywhere to be seen.

I rounded a corner. Nothing.

Then, a voice. Distant, but nonetheless, a voice.

"I suggest you show yourself before I start hexing you into oblivion."

I stopped and listened.

"Are you mocking me?" the voice demanded.

I started movingfaster, trying to get to the girl. Someone was following her, that much was clear to me.

I couldn't see her with my magical eye. The one time the damn thing isn't coming in handy.

I rounded the corner to see the girl sprawled on the floor, unconscious. There was some lunatic standing over her, smiling insanely, his mission halfway accomplished.

I pointed my wand directly at him.

"_STUPEFY!"_ I roared.

My spell caught him dead center in the back. He keeled over sideways, missing the girl by inches.

I stumped over to them both. I felt for a pulse on the girl. She was still alive, but barely.

I kicked the attacker out of the way, pausing to get a closer look at him.

Antonin Dolohov.

Last I had heard, he wasn't in a very good standing with Voldemort.

Yet another one trying to redeem himself in the Lord's eyes.

I conjured another Patronus and sent it to Remus and Tonks. While I waited for them, I checked the girl over for any injuries. I could tell she had a concussion, but nothing else was broken. I decided to just let Madam Pomfrey tend to her.

Running footsteps reached my ears. I turned to see Remus and Tonks round the corner, looking out of breath. They both stopped dead at the sight before them.

"My God! What happened?" Tonks cried, rushing forward to kneel beside me.

Remus came over and bent to look down at Dolohov.

"Nice wand work, Alastor," he said. "Is Sarai okay?"

"She's alive, but we need to get her to the hospital wing, now."

Remus conjured a stretcher and carefully lifted the limp form of the girl onto it.

"_Mobilicorpus,"_ I growled, pointing at Dolohov's lifeless form.

We hurried to the hospital wing, bursting in and alarming Madam Pomfrey.

"My heavens," she started, then stopped. "What happened!" she cried, hurrying forward to look at the girl.

"Dolohov here hit her with a curse. I can't tell what it was, but I think it might have been the one he used on Granger last year," I mentioned, remembering when he had cursed Harry Potter's friend in the Department of Mysteries.

Madam Pomfrey moved the girl to a bed, and bent over her for several minutes, examining her. She hurried away, and returned several minutes later with a tray full of different potions.

Tonks hurried forward to help lift the lifeless girl up so Madam Pomfrey could pour each of the liquids down her throat.

When she finished, Tonks laid her down gently. Madam Pomfrey covered her with the blankets and then moved to look at Dolohov.

"Don't worry too much about him, Poppy, I just Stunned him is all," I growled.

"Did he do this to her?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Where's the Headmaster?" she cried.

"Right here," a voice spoke near the door.

Dumbledore strode in the room, looking troubled. He bent down to look at the girl, shaking his head and sighing.

"What has happened?" he asked.

Guilt surged through me. "It was my fault, Dumbledore. They, ah, sneaked off to have a snog session, and rather than bear witness to it, I sat down around the corner and fell asleep. I couldn't have been out long. I found the girl and Dolohov in a corridor. He must have just cursed her. I am sorry, Dumbledore, it is me to blame."

He looked over at me. For a second, I thought I saw his mouth twitch when I mentioned the two teens involved in a snog session. But then, the twitch disappeared and was replaced with that look of Dumbledore's that makes me feel like he's seeing right through me.

"Well, the important thing is that Sarai is still alive. Had you not found them, she would either be dead, or he would have taken her to Voldemort."

He stopped in front of Dolohov's floating body. He drew his wand.

"_Ennervate,"_ he muttered, pointing the wand at Dolohov.

Dolohov's eyes opened slowly. When he saw Dumbledore, he started and looked around wildly, as though looking for an escape.

"You cannot run, Antonin," Dumbledore said.

Dolohov looked back at him, his face carefully blank and void of emotion.

"What happened here?" Dumbledore asked him.

Dolohov looked at him icily, but didn't speak.

"Tell me, Antonin, and maybe the consequences will be less severe," Dumbledore said.

Dolohov shook his head, glaring at the old man.

"Straight to Azkaban for you, Dolohov. You can join your dear friends, Lucius too. I daresay they'll be pleased to see you," I sneered.

Dumbledore looked up at me. "Alastor," he said, his tone warning me.

Remus looked at Dolohov with disgust. "He deserves it Dumbledore."

Tonks looked up at the scene from her post near the girl's bed. "Too right he does," she said savagely.

Dolohov glared at us all, but still refused to speak.

The door to the hospital wing suddenly burst open again. The Malfoy boy stood there, out of breath and trembling. He looked around, searching for someone. Then he saw Dumbledore.

"Professor! Sir, Sarai's gone! I can't find her!"

Dumbledore strode over to him. "Draco, relax, she is here."

The Malfoy boy walked further into the room. He spotted the girl in bed.

"What the hell happened?" he whispered.

Then he saw Dolohov.

"You!" he yelled. "What the hell have you done to her!"

He whipped out his wand. "You bastard, I ought to curse you into a thousand slimy pieces."

I stepped between them. "Boy, put it away. Dolohov will get what's his. Rest assured. The girl needs you now."

The boy looked confused for a second, but let his wand fall. He walked over to the girl's bed and sat down on it beside her. The emotion that suddenly emanated from him was too much for me to see. I turned away.

"I'll take this scumbag to the Ministry, shall I, Dumbledore?" I asked.

Dumbledore looked back at Dolohov. He suddenly radiated anger. "Yes, Alastor, that would be best. He won't talk. Maybe the Aurors can get him to talk."

I conjured ropes and bound and gagged Dolohov before marching him out of the hospital wing.

"May you rot in that hell they call Azkaban," I growled.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Tonks' POV**

Mad Eye led Dolohov out of the room. Dumbledore, Remus and I watched him go, glaring at his back. I had never felt so angry in my life. Some of this anger was directed at Mad Eye, as he had never before fallen asleep on the job, and none of this would have ever happened if he had been awake. But I felt angry with myself and with Remus too. Dolohov had to get in here somehow, and I'm guessing he got in the castle without needing Snape present.

And we were too busy tailing Snape to think that there was a possibility of getting in without him.

Merlin, do I feel stupid.

Dumbledore turned to look at Remus and I.

"Was there any indication from Severus that something like this might have happened?"

"No, sir. He hasn't been doing anything funny at all. He hasn't received any owls, nor has he been communicating with anyone otherwise. He's been acting normally." Remus said.

Dumbledore paced around, his brow furrowed. He was trying to come up with a way that this could have happened.

"I'm going to go speak with Severus. If she wakes up, come fetch me," he said suddenly, striding out of the ward.

I looked at Remus. He looked grim. We both sat down in chairs near Sarai's bed, where the Malfoy boy was still sitting, watching the girl for any sign of life.

I felt like an intruder on the boy's anguish. He looked ghastly. The boy didn't look like the type to cry, but his eyes filled with tears every so often, which he would quickly wipe away, hoping we didn't notice.

Madam Pomfrey came bustling back in a while after Dumbledore left to check on Sarai.

"I really don't expect her to wake up tonight. Maybe tomorrow if the damage isn't too severe and the potions have begun to work."

This was going to be a long night. A sleepless night spent keeping watch, just if it should happen that someone else should show up.

**Draco's POV**

I went down to the common room and waited for Sarai. She wasn't backing off like she normally would when I got a little, ahem, aggressive with her. She had said that she wanted to continue the thing we had started in the corridor down here, and she had even mentioned my dorm.

I was flying higher than a kite. The love of my life is finally allowing me to prove to her that I love her.

I sat on the couch, waiting for her to show up, trying not to be impatient, and trying to control the rush of hormones careening around my body.

I snorted. Yeah, that's gonna work well. I'll have to bloody clamp my hands to my sides just to keep myself from ripping her clothes off as soon as she walks into the room.

But the ten minute window I had allowed her came and went. Something wasn't right, something was incredibly wrong. She wouldn't be late, she didn't like the idea of being out by herself.

I knew something was wrong. A nagging little voice in the back of my head was telling me so.

I got up and ran out of the common room. I ran all around the school, looking for her. I couldn't find her. So I ran to the stone gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office. I never even got in there.

"He's not in there at the moment," the monk in the painting called to me.

"Where is he?" I yelled in frustration. He was the one that would know what to do.

"Something urgent has come up somewhere in the school. I believe I heard him say something about the hospital wing. . ."

I didn't even allow the monk to finish. I sprinted up to the hospital wing as fast as I could.

Sarai was there. She had been attacked.

Attacked. How could I have allowed her to go off by herself for even a minute?

It's all my bloody fault.

Because of me, she's lying here in the hospital wing, barely alive from the curse that Dolohov used.

I wanted to rip the man's head off. I knew who he was from my father's dealings, and he had been over to the house many times on 'business.'

The man was an evil git, hell bent on pleasing the Dark Lord in any way and to make his way up in the hierarchy.

He was essentially worthless. My father had told me so. He was always screwing up something for the Death Eaters, and then doing even more pointless and useless things to try and get himself back in the good graces of the Dark Lord.

"You! What the hell have you done to her?" I yelled as soon as I saw him.

I yanked out my wand. "You bastard, I ought to curse you into a thousand slimy pieces."

Mad Eye Moody intervened, telling me it was no good, Dolohov would be handled by the Ministry.

He better damn well get what he deserves. Because of him, Sarai is hovering between life and death.

Now I'm sitting in the darkened hospital wing, trying to stay awake. Behind me, old Professor Lupin and some wild looking woman with pink hair are asleep, their breathing slow and labored.

I looked down at Sarai. She was still unconscious. The moonlight coming through the window illuminated her face in a bright glow. With her black hair fanned out on the pillow, and her face so calm and peaceful, she looked like an angel.

"I'm sorry, Sarai. I should have been there," I whispered, leaning forward to kiss her gently on the forehead.

I laid down carefully next to her, trying to take up the minimal amount of space. I didn't want to hurt her anymore than she had been hurt.

I put myself in the most uncomfortable position possible in an effort to keep myself from falling asleep. I had a fear that if I fell asleep, something else would happen and Sarai would be gone when I awoke. If I fell asleep, I wouldn't be able to protect her from anymore danger.

This was going to be a long night.

**Sarai's POV**

I slowly came back to a conscious state. My brain felt like sludge, and my torso felt like it was on fire. I was laying on something soft, presumably a bed. I desisted from opening my eyes, afraid that if I did, the Dark Lord would be there.

I tried to figure out where I was by listening to my surroundings. It was silent, except for the sounds of breathing.

Not my own.

Something moved beside me. Oh great, I'm about to be eaten by a giant snake.

I opened my eyes. It was dark, and I couldn't see very well. I blinked several times, trying to adjust to the lack of light. I moved my head a fraction of an inch to my right. There was a person laying next to me on the bed.

It was Draco. But then, if I didn't get kidnapped, where the hell was I?

You idiot, you're _obviously_ in the hospital wing.

What the hell was I cursed with?

I tried to move, but instantly, a blinding pain tore through my upper body, causing my breathing to spasm.

Holy fuck that hurts.

I laid there, as still as possible, waiting for the pain to recede. My eyes were tightly squeezed shut. I needed something to get rid of the pain, dammit.

"Draco," I tried to whisper.

I barely made a sound.

"Draco," I tried again.

He stirred beside me, his breathing still quite deep. Then, suddenly, he inhaled sharply and sat up quickly, looking wildly around.

His movements were jarring the bed, and, in turn, jarring me. Another jolt of pain assaulted my insides.

"Sarai, you're awake!" he exclaimed, climbing off the bed and running to wake two people behind him.

It was Remus Lupin and a young woman with violently pink hair.

"She's awake! Remus, she's awake!" the young woman said, shaking Remus vigorously.

"Calm down Tonks! I can see that. Go wake Madam Pomfrey. She'll need to look her over," Remus said, moving out of Tonks' reach and towards me.

"How are you feeling?" Draco asked, smoothing hair off my forehead.

"I feel like if I move, I'll scream."

"That good, huh?"

I nodded slowly, trying not to assault my system.

"You took quite a hit from what Moody says," Remus spoke up.

"Moody?"

"Mad Eye Moody, Tonks, and I have been keeping watch on you for the past month," he explained.

"Where's the dumbass who cursed me?"

"He's been taken care of," Draco said bitterly.

"Taken care of, how? Where is he? Who is he? Has Severus been here yet? And what the _hell_ was I cursed with?" I said, feeling reality stretch thin.

Before they could answer, the woman called Tonks appeared with the hospital wing matron, Madam Pomfrey.

"Good to see you're awake, dear," she said briskly, pulling a robe on over her nightclothes. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Yes I am. It feels like I'm on fire," I said, wincing as a jab of pain stabbed under my rib cage.

"Poor thing," she clucked as she felt my wrist for a pulse.

She bustled back to her office, presumably to get something that would help me get rid of this damn pain.

"In answer to your question, no, Snape hasn't been up here yet," Draco said absently.

"Good," I said, taking a goblet that Madam Pomfrey was holding out to me.

I drank it and shuddered.

"Ick," I said, tasting the gross aftertaste.

"It will help with the pain. And this is to help you sleep," she said, holding out another goblet for me to drink.

I downed it quickly and instantly became drowsy again.

"Sleep well, Sarai," Draco whispered, kissing my forehead and I drifted off into a darkness that contained no pain.


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Snape's POV**

My master was not going to allow me peace until I handed Sarai over to him. I was constantly being summoned away from the castle, nearly every other night. I was starting to get a little angry about it. I did not want to hand Sarai over to him, despite his assurances that it would make my life a whole hell of a lot easier.

So I'm supposed to hand over my own flesh and blood and watch him kill her just because I've been naughty?

I don't bloody think so.

But there wasn't much I could do about it. Either way, the Dark Lord would get his way, with or without me. If I didn't help him out, he would kill me and still go after her. If I did help him out, he would kill her and I would be redeemed.

I don't want to die. But I don't want her to die either.

Why do I always screw myself over and land myself and others in these damn compromising positions?

The day of the first Hogsmeade visit of the year, I was in the dungeon storeroom, taking inventory of the ingredients in there so I could tell Dumbledore what we were running low on. As far as I knew, Sarai was no longer allowed out of the castle, so I assumed she would be with Draco Malfoy.

I didn't even want to begin to think of what they could possibly be up to.

I shook my head in disgust and went back to counting the bottles of armadillo bile on the shelf.

I finally finished taking inventory somewhere along midday. I was feeling cranky and irritable, probably because I had wasted half of the damn day counting, and had amused myself while doing so imagining what my daughter and her dear boyfriend could be up to.

I decided to go find out where they were. If they were doing something I deemed unpleasant, let's just say that Mr. Malfoy won't be producing any offspring anytime soon.

I had barely stepped out of the storeroom, however, when Dumbledore came sweeping through the corridor towards me. The look on his face stopped me cold. He seemed to radiate an indefinable anger.

What the hell did I do? I've been down here all day!

"Severus, we need to talk," he said curtly, leading me towards my office.

I followed him into my office and sat down behind my desk.

"Dumbledore, sir, what's happened?"

He surveyed me with those penetrating blue eyes. I felt like I was being x-rayed. It unnerved me, and I looked away.

"I want to know, Severus, if you have allowed anyone, say, of the Death Eater sort, into the castle today."

I stared at him. Oh bloody hell. He knows. Sarai told him.

"N-no, Professor Dumbledore. I've been in the dungeon storeroom all day, taking inventory. Why? What's happened?"

My mind reeled uncontrollably.

"I would think you should know, Severus."

I shook my head. My heart was hammering. It was Sarai, I knew it was. The Dark Lord's done something stupid without telling me about it, and now Sarai's hurt, or dead, or in his custody.

Damn it.

"Your daughter has been attacked, Severus. By Antonin Dolohov. I would like to know how he got into the castle."

My mind reeled. How did he get in? How bad was Sarai hurt? Why was I not told of this? Or was it some plot to frame me?

"Sir, I don't know how he got in. Like I said, I've been in the storeroom taking inventory all day. How badly is Sarai hurt?"

"She will live. She's in the hospital wing at the moment. Mr. Malfoy is with her. But I don't think it wise for you to see her."

"But sir-" I started to protest.

"Severus, at this moment, I cannot decide whether or not I want to hex you, throw you out of the castle, or hand you to the Ministry. Do you know how much you have betrayed Sarai? Me? The entire staff?"

I hung my head. The only reason I was a teacher is because I had lied to Dumbledore and told him that I was no longer a Death Eater.

"I'll stay away," I muttered, not looking at him.

Dumbledore got up and left without saying a word, leaving me feeling exceptionally miserable and guilty.

Maybe it would be better after all if I resist my master and just let him kill me. Why did I ever think I would be a decent father to Sarai? I've just been proven wrong.

"Damn you, Severus," I muttered darkly.

To make matters ten times worse than they already were, that damn mark on my arm began to burn with a ceaseless pain.

"Damn it all. Just damn it all. Damn you, Severus, damn you, Master, damn you Sarai, damn you Dumbledore. Just damn it," I swore as I got up.

Knowing that I would be watched if I left the castle, I decided to Floo to my master. Against my will. I really didn't want to go see what he had to say about his failed attempt at getting Sarai. I knew I would be punished.

Even though it wasn't my bloody damn fault. Go take it out on Dolohov, you jacked up Darth Vader wannabe on a power trip.

Yes, I know about Darth Vader. I am not entirely oblivious to the Muggle world, thank you.

I threw some Floo powder into the fire burning beside me and stepped in, shouting out my destination.

When I finally stopped spinning, I found myself in the old Riddle mansion. Again.

Damn this place. It has not been a happy place for me these past few months.

"We meet once again, Severus."

That icy voice cut through me like a knife.

"Yes master. We meet again," I said as I approached the armchair in which he was sitting.

"But once again, that dear daughter of yours is still alive."

I inclined my head, not meeting his eyes.

"Can you tell me why?"

"Master, even I do not know the whole story. Dumbledore would only tell me that she had been attacked by Dolohov. Which brings me to ask, how did he get into the castle?"

The Dark Lord chuckled. "I did not tell you of the plan because I knew you would attempt to stop it. Indiscreetly of course, but nonetheless, you would have tried to stop it. I sent Dolohov by means of Floo through your fireplace. Ingenious, no?"

God damn it. I knew he was going to try to implicate me no matter what.

"But it didn't work. And I had nothing to do with it," I said hastily.

My master surveyed me through those cat like eyes of his.

"Severus, as I have told you before, if you would just hand her to me like I have requested, this whole thing could be over and done with by now. But no, you refuse to hand over your daughter, even though I have told you countless times that your life would be so much more easier if you did."

My anger flared. Never a good thing when you're facing the Dark Lord.

"Master, if you think that handing your own daughter could be easy, then you are sadly mistaken."

Again, he chuckled. "See, that is the difference between me and you, Severus. You, being a petty mortal, feel love and cannot understand why it would be so easy to hand another life over to be sacrificed. I, on the other hand, feel nothing. I have no love to spare, no sadness to show. Only anger and a demanding sense of power dominate. There is no room to spare for love. I despise it. And you should too. I would think, being one of my followers, that you would be able to give it up and understand that in a world where I dominate, there is no room for love. The means to survive are met through breeding, but there is no room to spare for relationships and love. Only power and determination will rule."

Of course, I had heard all of this before. But I chose not to listen to it. Unfortunately, my master noticed.

"But, alas, as you have heard this before, you choose not to listen to it. You are bored, are you not Severus? Perhaps I should teach you what happens to those who do not listen to Lord Voldemort."

Before I could say anything, the Dark Lord raised his wand and I was blasted off my feet by the Cruciatus Curse. I writhed in agony on the ground. Everything felt as though it was on fire. Hot needles stabbed me all over. I just wanted it to end.

"Yes, it would be nice of me to end it, wouldn't it Severus? But, most unfortunately, Lord Voldemort is not that nice. You need to be taught what happens to disobedient servants. Perhaps this will teach you a lesson. Maybe this time you'll listen to me."

This barely registered in my head. My mind screamed at me to just let go. Lose consciousness, or just tell him to fucking kill me. Either way would work just fine.

The pain quit rather suddenly. My mind quit screaming at me, and I lay there on the floor, panting. I didn't know how much more of this I could take.

"You won't have to take anymore after this if you would just cooperate Severus," my master's voice burst forth into my mind.

Oh fuck. He's in my head now.

"That's right, Severus. Perhaps I should stay here, and help you make the right decisions. All this can end at any time, you just have to say the word, and do as I want, and it can all end."

Why does life have to be so bloody difficult?

"This is the life you chose many years ago, Severus. You should have realized that this would be expected of you. Either that, or you should have realized that this would have happened when you got involved with that filthy Muggle-born waste. Look what has come from it, Severus. Did you really think that anything good was going to come with that waste?"

At the time, yes I did. Love blinded me.

"As I have said, that is the difference between me and you. You allow yourself to be overcome by love. There is no use for love in the world that I create. Get that through your thick head."

My brain suddenly felt on fire, as though my master had taken a hold of it and started squeezing it in a vise.

Okay, okay, okay! I give up! I can't take anymore of this! I'll do what you goddamn want me to do! I can't deal with this anymore!

"You'll help me out? You'll give me your daughter?"

Yes! I can't take anymore of this! If this is what love gets me, then screw it! I don't want to love anymore! I'll be a good Death Eater, I'll help my master, I'll answer his every beck and call!

"You swear it, Severus?"

Damn it! I swear it! I give up! Just let me go! I promise you can trust me! I'll come up with a plan and I'll give Sarai to you. I promise.

My mind was released from the viselike grip that it was in.

My master was smiling in a victorious manner. "You have made me happy Severus. Do not disappoint me. The next time, you won't be so lucky."

I took some more Floo powder back to my office. I collapsed into my chair behind my desk and buried my face in my hands.

I had as good as stamped my own daughter's death certificate.


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Twenty**

**Sarai's POV**

After many intense shouting matches with Madam Pomfrey, I was allowed to leave the hospital wing almost a week after I was attacked. She did not want to let me go, as she deemed the rest of the school unsafe, and what with the curse which that bastard Dolohov used on me, I apparently had a death wish of my own.

I assured her I would be quite safe, and I promised her that I would not stray out of anyone's sight again so I would not be attacked again and wind up in the hospital wing all over.

Draco kept a protective arm around me through our whole walk down to the common room. I was very happy to be out of the hospital wing, as I was beginning to become irritable and bored during the long hours that I was forced to lie there and do nothing. Of course, I could have been doing schoolwork, but, what the hell? Who needs schoolwork? Besides, Dumbledore said that I didn't have to return to classes right away. Since I was let out of the hospital wing on a Thursday, Dumbledore said I could take Friday and the rest of the weekend to get better and return to classes on Monday.

"Um, Draco?"

"Yes, love?"

"I might need a tad bit of help getting caught up on my schoolwork. I sort of, um, didn't do it the whole week."

He grinned down at me. "Not exactly up to that charming essay that Snape gave us to write on the properties of the ingredients for Veritaserum, eh?"

I grinned too. "Yes, well, if it's an essay assigned by my dear father, you can guarantee that it won't get done just so I can piss him off some more."

"We'll get it done. I help you. Hell, I'll do some of your work for you if it means getting it done and keeping you out of detention. You do realize that we, ahem, never finished what we started a week ago?"

I blushed. Damn him, of course I didn't forget. Hell, that's all I could think about when I was stuck in that damn claustrophobic hospital wing. If had just decided to use the bathroom in the damn common room, then none of this would have ever happened, and Draco and I would have, well, you get the picture.

"I know."

That damn eyebrow of his rose unnecessarily. "Feeling up to it now?"

I laughed and pushed his arm off my shoulders. "Give me some time to get used to being out of that damn hospital wing. I'm still, ahem, _recuperating."_

He pretended to pout. But then he brightened again. "Are you up to a good snog session?"

I smirked. "Perhaps."

I kept walking, leaving him standing there gaping after me. I tried to walk in the most seductive way I could manage, all swishing my butt from side to side and smiling angelically over my shoulder at him as he ran to catch up to me.

"You, Sarai Shulamith, are a tease," he growled in my ear as he attempted to kiss my neck.

I pretended to look offended. "_Moi?"_

"Yes, you. You drive me bloody crazy. And then you start walking like that. . ." he trailed off, slowing down so he could check out my _assets._

"Walking like what?" I asked innocently as I exaggerated my walk some more.

I had the poor boy practically drooling. I stopped walking and let him catch up to me again. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood on my tiptoes to reach his ear.

"I promise you, as soon as I feel good again, we will have our fun. Until then, you'll just have to get by with anything but the bed," I whispered before nipping at his ear.

He had to clamp his hands to his sides to keep from ripping my clothes off right then and there. I laughed at him before grabbing his hand and walking the rest of the way down to the common room.

I decided to start tackling that homework that those damn professors assigned once we got into the common room. At first, Draco thought I had changed my mind when I started leading him towards the girls dorms, but when I started grabbing books off my bedside table and cramming them in his arms, he quickly got the hint.

And might I add, he was not very happy to see the books.

"Look at it this way, the sooner we get this out of the way, the sooner we can have our fun," I said as I smirked suggestively.

His eyebrow went up again. "So that's how it works, eh?"

"Well, sometimes you gotta have a lot of work and no play, but I think in this case, we can have a lot of work, and then reward ourselves with a lot of play."

His eyes got that glazed over, lustful look again. I laughed at him and steered him out of the dorm before he abandoned all pretense and threw me onto my bed.

Together out in the common room, comfortable on our couch in front of the fire, we worked together to get that damn essay from my father written. We managed to get through most of the stuff that Flitwick, McGonagall, and Binns assigned as well. The only thing I had left to do was a roll of parchment on something in my Arithmancy book. I decided to save that for another time.

My stomach rumbled loudly as I corked my ink bottle. I glanced at my watch. Dinner time.

"Come on, let's go get dinner. I'm starving," I said, getting up and stacking my books together.

Draco didn't say anything. He just stood and followed me back into the girls dorms so I could put my books away.

I dumped my books back down on my table. When I turned around, Draco was standing there, still silent. But there was something in his eyes. He moved towards me, closing the space between us. Almost automatically, I wrapped my arms around his neck as his lips met mine.

He tongue ran along my lower lip, begging for entrance. My lips parted, and his tongue slipped in, exploring my mouth in smooth, even strokes.

I honestly did not know what the hell I was doing. Something told me to just go with it.

His hands slid down to my hips and pulled me closer to him, fitting me snugly against his body. I could feel his obvious arousal hardening against my upper thigh.

He tore away from my mouth and moved down to my neck, biting and sucking his way down to my collarbone. He walked me backwards until I was up against the wall, pinning me there.

Then I came to my senses.

"Draco," I gasped out as he assaulted my neck. "Anyone could walk in. . ."

He pulled out his wand and magically locked the door with a complicated charm before returning to his assault on my neck.

Oh what the hell. I'm tired of second guessing myself. It's time to live a little, dammit.

Without warning, he picked me up and carried me over to my bed and set me down gently. He discarded his shirt before climbing onto the bed himself.

I didn't even pretend not to stare. He was every kind of sexy. I could feel myself drooling as he lowered himself down on top of me, still gently. His face was serious as he looked into my eyes before lowering himself down towards my stomach.

Rolling up little bits of my shirt, he ravished my stomach with kisses. He got higher and higher, rolling up more and more shirt. Soon, he was attacking my rib cage with his tongue.

Almost involuntarily, I groaned softly with pleasure. Taking that as his cue, in one swift movement, he lifted my shirt over my head and tossed it.

He allowed his eyes to wander all over me once the shirt was gone. And for once, I wasn't complaining.

He lowered himself down on top of me again and began ravishing my mouth some more. He was still being gentle though, and had most of his weight suspended on his hands. He didn't want to hurt me.

He sat up again and trailed his hands down my sides to my jeans' zipper. He slowly and teasingly unzipped them, and just as slowly began pulling them off, stopping here and there to kiss some neglected bit of skin.

I started laughing as he made his way down my leg.

"Dammit, that tickles!" I exclaimed.

"Let me fix that," he whispered seductively, as he moved over me again, kissing my stomach and ribs on the way up.

This time, he carefully laid down on top of me.

"Am I hurting you?" he whispered anxiously.

I shook my head.

He started in on my neck again. His hands were all over the place, touching, caressing. He turned me on my side to get access to my bra clasp and undid it. He pulled it off and discarded it. His hand went to one of my breasts and began to massage and knead it.

I groaned in pleasure again.

Draco got that mischievous look in his eyes and he licked his way down my collarbone and upper chest. He allowed his mouth to take over where his hands were. His tongue trailed across my breast, making me arch my back to meet his touch.

"Dammit, Draco," I moaned out.

His hand slid down my side and to my inner thigh, caressing softly. His touch made my skin feel like it was on fire. Then he slid his hand inside my knickers and touched me in ways that I had never been touched before. He manipulated me in ways that brought me to the edge. But then he stopped.

I groaned in disappointment.

"Don't worry love, I promise to finish it," he whispered.

I decided it was my turn to make him feel good. I sat up and flipped him so he was on the bottom.

"My turn," I whispered, leaning in to kiss my way across his chest.

He was surprised, but didn't complain when I ran my tongue across one of his hard nipples. I let my hands wander freely, exploring his chest and abs. I hastened to undo his jeans and free him from the damned things.

I slipped a hand inside his boxers and returned the favor from earlier and began to pleasure him as he had me. He groaned my name in ecstacy, lifting his hips to meet my touch.

I gazed at his face. He looked like he was in heaven. His eyes were shut, but I could see his eyeballs rolling underneath. He was panting heavily, as though he was running, and an occasional groan would escape his lips.

"Fuck," he muttered.

Without warning, he sat up and flipped me so I was on the bottom again. He literally ripped my knickers off me and carefully lowered himself onto me again.

"Tell me if I'm hurting you," he whispered.

He pushed himself into me slowly. Shivers of pleasure and pain radiated up my spine. I groaned in pleasure as he pushed himself further inside.

"Are you okay?" he whispered.

"Yes," I gasped out.

Taking that as his cue, he started to move in and out a little harder and faster. At first, it hurt like hell, but I soon acclimated and began to keep up with him. I arched my back to meet each of his thrusts. I had never felt like this before.

This time, he took me over the edge. He had me nearly screaming my name as he finished what he had started earlier, as promised. I laid there, my body slowly returning back to normal from the rush that Draco had given me.

Draco carefully laid on top of me, still inside me. Both of us were breathing heavily, as though we had run a damn marathon.

"Are you okay?" he whispered again.

"I'm fine," I whispered sleepily.

"You're so goddamn beautiful, you know that?"

I sighed in answer.

"I love you, Sarai," he said softly before kissing my shoulder.

"I love you too, Draco."

All thoughts of dinner were forgotten as we laid there. We fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms, listening to our hearts beat, almost as one.


	22. Chapter Twenty One

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Twenty**

**Draco's POV**

Yay.

Bliss, pure bliss. That's all there is to it.

Sarai finally allowed me to prove to her that I love her. It was unlike anything else. I mean, sure, so I've got a bit of a reputation around school that I'm great in the sack. But that's only because those worthless morons that I got in the sack with had no clue what it was like to be shagged out of their minds. I only did it because I'm a sick, sadistic bastard like that. I felt nothing for them.

Sarai, on the other hand, was a totally different story. I actually felt something. She wasn't just an easy shag. Since my heart practically belonged to her, I acted differently. With the others, I was rough, not gentle, like I was with Sarai.

She was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on. The body of a goddess, the heart of an angel, the sweet sadness that filled her eyes when she thought it didn't show.

I was the only one for her. I was the only one who understood her. I knew what an evil bastard her father was. Hell, mine was the same way, except multiplied by about a thousand. I knew what the Dark Lord could do to families, and I knew what he wanted to do to her. And I wouldn't let it happen.

My heart was getting in the way of the cause, as my dear father would point out to me.

Yeah? Well, guess what Father? Screw the cause, screw the Dark Lord, and most importantly, screw you. Yeah, that's right, screw you. I'm sick of your damn rules, I'm sick of your prejudice against half bloods, I'm sick of it all. Go to hell, have a nice life, I'm through.

I woke up the next morning with Sarai curled into me, her hair tickling my nose. Her arm was draped across my chest. She looked so sweet and peaceful when she slept. It was such a shame that her life was so bloody fucked up that she couldn't lose the sadness in her eyes all the time.

Even sadder was the fact that I only had to look at her to become extremely turned on. I shook my head in disgust.

Get a grip, dammit. Not cool. You have to be the sweet guy that she knows is inside you.

Why is it that this one girl affects me so much?

I stroked her hair away from her face and kissed her gently on the forehead. She stirred almost immediately, stretching in her sleep. She nuzzled her face up against the side of my neck, and I could feel her warm breath on my ear.

Gah. Son. . .of. . .a. . .bitch. This isn't helping.

She opened her eyes lazily, stretching some more.

"Good morning, love," I whispered.

She smiled sleepily. "Good morning. Have you been awake long?"

"Nope, just admiring your beauty."

She blushed. "I hate when you do that."

I shrugged. "What can I say? It's part of my charm."

She snorted. "You're very narcissistic, you know that?"

I grinned. "Must come from my dear mother. Sadly enough, her name is Narcissa."

She giggled. "Talk about irony."

"Life hates me that way."

"Me too. Look at what I have for a father."

"Ditto."

She giggled some more, but then stopped. "Shit, I just realized that everyone else is in here. What if they saw your clothes?"

"Then they'll know that you were getting some action."

She frowned.

"Relax. Merlin, it's not like they've never done anything like this before. Hell, Pansy sneaks them in whenever she can."

She smirked. "Well, everyone else would expect that. But me, they don't know me! They'll think I'm a goddamn whore!"

I matched her smirk. "You're not just a whore, you're my whore."

She sat up. "Gee, thanks."

"Welcome."

She stuck her head out of the curtains around her bed. She must have been checking to see if the coast was clear, because she quickly ducked back in.

"All clear. Let's get dressed and get some breakfast."

I grabbed my boxers, which were resting at the foot of the bed, and pulled them on. Sarai grabbed her knickers and bra and quickly pulled them on. We both got out of bed and scurried to find our clothes and dress quickly, lest anyone see us stumbling around half dressed and assume the worst.

Did I say worst? I meant best. Well, for me anyways.

We walked into the Great Hall ten minutes later, having dressed ourselves the best we could, and hoping nobody would notice that we had on yesterday's clothes.

I noticed Pansy was giving Sarai the evil eye as we walked over and sat down at the Slytherin table.

"Hey Parkinson, why don't you put your eyes back in your head and quit glaring at Sarai?" I sneered.

"Why don't you two go change into some decent clothes. As I remember, you both were wearing the same thing yesterday," she pointed out sweetly.

"And what difference does it make to you?" Sarai snapped.

"Oh, it makes no difference to me, but it does to everyone else. You wouldn't want them to think that you're a w-"

"Pansy, go screw yourself," I cut her off quickly, glaring at her.

"I'm not a whore," Sarai said quietly, her eyes flashing in anger.

Pansy merely smiled evilly before getting up and moving to the far end of the table to talk to her other whore friends. They all burst into raucous peals of laughter as Pansy whispered to them, and all of them turned to look pointedly at Sarai and me.

At almost exactly the same time, we both lifted our hands and made a lovely gesture at them. They quickly got the point and turned around, giggling nonetheless.

"Pansy can go die," Sarai said quietly, stabbing at her kippers angrily.

"Agreed," I said as I played with my toast in an uninterested way.

Needless to say, neither of us ate very much.

We got up and headed out of the Great Hall with the intention of going back to the common room to change, lest our dearest Snape notice we were wearing yesterday's clothes.

We nearly collided head on with Potter, Weasel, Weasel's sister, and Granger near the doors. You would have thought someone died by the expressions on their faces.

"We need to talk, now," Harry muttered.

"What's happened?" Sarai asked.

"Not here. Let's go someplace private," Hermione said quickly, leading the way upstairs.

The six of us quickly hurried to the Room of Requirement.

"Harry, what's going on?" Sarai demanded as soon as Ginny shut the door.

"I've had another dream," he said, going over and flopping on pouf.

We all sat down around him.

"About what?" Sarai asked.

He wouldn't look her in the eye. "About Voldemort."

"Out with it, Potter," I said sharply.

Sarai had gone pale. "And?"

Potter looked between me and Sarai. "Sarai, he's given in. Snape's given in to Voldemort. He didn't want to, but he did. He's going to hand you over to him one way or the other. He swore he would. If he doesn't, then he's screwed."

Sarai swayed on the spot. "Oh sweet mother of Merlin," she whispered, burying her head in her hands.

I crawled over to her and pulled her into my arms.

"You're sure about this Potter?" I asked sharply.

He nodded. "I saw the whole thing. Snape got hit with the Cruciatus curse, and then Voldemort took it off him, and then he was in Snape's head, and the weird thing was, I could hear what Voldemort was saying inside his head. It sounded like he was squeezing his brain or something, and threatening to stay in Snape's head so he could get the job done. But Snape gave it and said he's going to hand Sarai over to him."

"Bastard," Sarai said out of nowhere.

Everyone turned to look at her.

"He. . .he's the biggest. . .the worst. . .evil son of a bitch on the whole fucking planet!" she screamed.

I rocked her back and forth. "Sarai, we're not going to let him take you. Calm down. He's going to play hell trying to get you out of the castle. We won't let him. Right, guys?"

They all nodded. Ginny and Granger crawled over and tried to comfort her.

I let her get pulled into a hug by the two of them and stood up. "Dumbledore needs to be told. I'll be back in awhile. Don't let her out of your sight. Got it?"

Potter and Weasel nodded.

I walked out of the room and set off down to Dumbledore's office. Snape had to be stopped, at all costs. I had half a mind to just continue on down to the dungeons and curse the hell out of him, but I knew it wasn't the right thing to do.

I was walking along in a corridor a floor above Dumbledore's office when it happened. Without warning, I was hit with the Full Body Bind. I crashed to the floor, unable to move, unable to see who the hell hit me.

Hands seized me and turned me over roughly. It was Snape.

"You, my friend, are going to pay a little visit to your father. I daresay he wants to have a little chat with his son," he hissed as he pulled me up and into a room.

It was McGonagall's office. He chucked some Floo powder into the fireplace and stood me up inside the fire.

"Riddle Mansion!" he called.

I began to spin very fast and the fire grate disappeared. Traveling by Floo powder when you're locked in the Full Body Bind is not fun. I couldn't bend my arms or legs to keep them from ramming painfully into the walls around me, nor could I blink to keep the whirling ash from getting into my eyes. Damn Snape, I couldn't even throw my hands out to stop me from crashing head-first into the arriving fire grate.

Once I had stopped seeing stars, I realized I had been pulled out of the fireplace and was in a darkened room. Nothing but the fire flickered before me eyes.

My father appeared over my head.

"Draco, my son, how nice of you to join us," he sneered.

The curse was suddenly lifted. I scrambled to my feet, reaching for my wand, which was stashed in my jeans pocket.

It wasn't there. I heard a soft chuckle from behind me and whirled to see who it was.

My stomach somersaulted unpleasantly. It was the Dark Lord.

"You won't be needing your wand, young Malfoy."

I glared at my father. Betrayal rippled through my brain, and reenforced the loathing I felt towards my father.

"You bastard," I hissed.

Pain exploded on every surface of my body. I fell to the floor, screaming in agony.

As quickly as it started, it was gone.

"Do you want to say that again, Draco? Do you not know why I have had you brought here? You needed to be taken away from that filth you're seeing. Do you understand me? She is worthless, and she needs to die," my father hissed venomously.

"She's not filth. She's better than you. She sees the good in people," I snapped.

I knew I was walking a fine line here.

"You're also the only way that she'll come to me," the Dark Lord spoke up.

"She won't. She's not that stupid. She won't let love get in the way," I spat.

"Really now? You think so?" the Dark Lord asked mockingly.

Please Sarai, if you can hear me, if you can somehow hear me, do not come. I beg you, do not come. I'm not worth it. Just stay there in the castle with Dumbledore and Potter.

My father Stunned me, and I knew no more.


	23. Chapter Twenty Two

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Twenty Two**

**Sarai's POV**

Draco left me with the others so he could go inform Dumbledore of my father's decision to finally hand me over to the Dark Lord. I didn't want him to go, but I knew that someone had to tell Dumbledore what my father was up to.

Ginny and Hermione hugged me tightly.

"It's okay, Sarai, we won't let him get you. If he tries, we'll just have to hex the hell outta him," Ginny reasoned logically.

I smiled involuntarily as I wiped a stray tear from my eye. "I get to have the first round."

They all grinned.

It was decided that we would just stay in the Room of Requirement until Draco came back from Dumbledore's office. Then, as the others put it, they would form a plan to keep me safe.

Ginny, Hermione and I laid around on the large, squashy poufs and caught up on news. We really hadn't had a chance to talk much since the party they threw me for my birthday. I began to feel better as we talked, almost to the point of being in a good mood.

Harry and Ron tired of the endless girl talk and started in on a game of wizard's chess to get past our endless peals of laughter as we discussed the usual girl things.

The biggest mistake on my part was telling Ginny and Hermione that Draco and I finally slept together.

Ginny began laughing joyously, fell off her pouf, and hit the floor with a loud thump. She laughed all the more harder and stayed on the floor for quite some time.

Hermione shrieked in delight and couldn't help but grin.

"I. . .knew. . .it!" Ginny wheezed from the floor. "It was only a matter of time before it happened. You knew you couldn't keep torturing the poor bastard for long."

"Thanks, Gin," I muttered, blushing furiously.

Ron looked our way, an expression of mild interest on his face. "What's so funny?"

I blushed harder. "Nothing."

He snorted. "Anyone ever tell you you're a bad liar?"

"It's been said a time or two," I admitted, refusing to look him in the eye.

"Wait a second, does this have something to do with Ferret Boy?" he asked suspiciously.

From Ginny's renewed giggles, his worst fears were confirmed.

"Don't tell me, you and him. . .you didn't, did you?"

I didn't answer him.

Ron smacked his head and shook it in disgust. "Bloody raging hormones," I heard him mutter.

Harry had fallen asleep on the floor in front of the chessboard. He kept twitching and muttering in his sleep.

Ginny had managed to climb back up on her pouf after recovering from her laughing fit. "So what was he like?"

"Ginny," Hermione said, exasperated. But I knew she was interested in finding out herself, as she shot me a furtive look.

"You guys are sad, you know that?" I shook my head, but couldn't help grinning.

"Well?" Ginny implored.

I gave them a small grin.

"That good, huh?" Ginny said, grinning knowingly.

I gave a tiny nod.

"You guys are made for each other," Hermione said out of nowhere.

"You think so?"

"We know so," they said together.

I grinned. "Do you guys think–"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Harry had jolted awake, yelling at the top of his lungs. He thrashed around for a minute, then realized where he was. He laid there, panting as we raced over to him.

"Harry, what is it?" Ginny asked, worried.

"N-nothing, bad dream, that's all," he panted.

He wouldn't look me in the eye again.

I gave him a comforting pat on the shoulder and sat there while the others fussed over him. Something was wrong. I knew it, but I didn't know _what_ it was exactly.

I held my head in my hands and shut my eyes. I felt weird, like I was lightheaded, and extremely tired. My mind spun, but it wasn't with my own thoughts. It was like I was watching a film play in my head. I lost a sense of who I was, where I was.

_Screams of pain fill a darkened room, firelight dancing on the walls. A dark, towering figure stood, wand raised, inflicting the pain that was causing the screams. A darkened figure was on the floor, writhing in agony. The towering figure lowered the wand, and the screams stopped. An unseen person laughed loudly, as though they were enjoying the show._

"_Do you want some more pain, boy?" the towering figure hissed._

"_Noooo," the figure on the ground moaned. _

"_Will you argue with me again?"_

"_Noooo," the figure moaned again._

"_Stand up. Stand up, I say," the towering figure demanded._

_The person on the floor managed to drag themself up off the floor. _

"_Come here," the other figure hissed again._

_The other person walked shakily over to the towering figure. The firelight continued to dance._

"_I think he needs to be punished more, my lord," the unseen person said._

"_I think you are right, Lucius. That was just a taster for being smart." The figure said, raising his wand again._

"_Nooo, please, not again," the other person moaned._

_The firelight danced across his figure. White blonde hair, brilliantly grey blue eyes, a trickle of blood running down the side of his face. . ._

"NOOOO! NOOOOO! DON'T DO IT!"

Reality came flooding back. I looked wildly around at the others, who looked alarmed. Harry was still lying on the floor.

"No, no, this can't be," I whispered, trying to make sense of what I just saw. "This can't be happening."

I realized something. Harry must have just seen the same thing.

"Harry," I gasped out. "Harry, what did you just dream? Tell me Harry, tell me what you just saw."

Harry looked into my face and knew I was being dead serious. "I, I saw Voldemort again. He was torturing someone. In the old Riddle mansion."

"Sarai, what–" Ron started, but I cut him off.

"Guys, the Dark Lord's got Draco," I blurted out.

"What?" everyone but Harry gasped.

Harry knew. He had just seen the same thing. But the question was, why did I just see it too?

"The Dark Lord's got Draco, I just saw it, and Harry did too. That's what he was dreaming about, wasn't it Harry?"

He nodded, finally pushing himself up off the floor.

"But. . .but Sarai, how did you see it?" Ginny asked uncertainly.

I shook my head. "I don't know, I just felt weird, like lightheaded, and I sort of lost a sense of who I was and where I was at, and it was like a film was playing through my head. I just. . .I just saw it."

They all stared at me. No one said a word.

"I'm not crazy," I defended.

"We know you're not," Hermione said quickly.

"Harry, where were they?" I demanded.

He looked taken aback. "The old Riddle mansion, I just said. . .but Sarai. . .we can't. . .you can't-"

"DO YOU EXPECT ME TO SIT AROUND HERE WHILE THE GODDAMN LOVE OF MY LIFE IS BEING TORTURED BY THAT SICK BASTARD!" I roared in anger.

They all shrank back away from me, afraid of this newfound rage.

"Sarai, we. . .we'll go to Dumbledore, he'll know what to do," Hermione said timidly.

I scrambled up off the floor. "Come on, let's go."

I headed for the door, but stopped when I realized no one was behind me. I whipped around. They all still stared at me.

"Dammit let's go! Get your asses up off the floor! Every minute we waste is another minute Draco's being tortured! Let's get the fuck moving!" I yelled at them.

They all scrambled up and followed me hastily out the door.

I ran down the corridors as fast as I could, the others following close behind. I knew they had their wands out, just in case someone got me like they got Draco.

I hurtled down the corridor where Dumbledore's office was. The old monk in the painting watched, interested

"Sugar quill," I gasped out, massaging my rib cage.

The gargoyle didn't move.

"Dammit, move!" I screamed, kicking it.

"That won't do you any good," the monk quipped.

He hit a nerve. A major nerve. I turned around slowly, deliberately. I walked calmly over to his painting. The look on my face must have scared him, as he looked rather nervous.

"What's the new password, dear monk?" I asked, dangerously calm.

"The headmaster is busy, miss, he. . .he doesn't need to be bothered," the monk quaked out.

"If you don't give me the password, dear monk, I'm afraid I'll have to damage your sweet little painting. Now, you wouldn't want that would you?"

"You, you can't scare me!"

"Maybe I didn't make myself clear. I don't give a rat's ass if the headmaster is busy. It's an emergency, someone is in danger, I need to speak to him. Now what's the password?"

The monk sighed, defeated. "Sherbet lemon."

I walked away without another word and approached the gargoyle again.

"Sherbet lemon." The gargoyle moved to reveal the moving staircase. "Let's go guys."

The others followed me silently onto the staircase. I knocked on the office door as soon as we stepped off the stairs and entered without permission.

Dumbledore was seated behind his desk. Professor McGonagall was there too. Apparently, they were in the middle of a tense conversation. They looked up at me when I entered, the others trailing behind me.

"Miss Shulamith, what a surprise," Dumbledore said.

Without any pretenseI got to the point. "Professor, Draco's been attacked. He's been taken to Riddle mansion, and he's being tortured by the Dark Lord."

Silence greeted this statement. Then-

"You're sure about this?" Dumbledore said seriously.

"Dead serious. Harry and I both saw it. Harry dreamed it, I. . .I don't know how I saw it, but I did. And I didn't dream it."

Dumbledore looked almost shocked for a moment, but quickly composed himself. He turned to Professor McGonagall.

"Minerva, kindly go alert Lupin and Nymphadora, please. Tell Lupin to head straight to the dungeons. He is not to leave until I tell him. Tell Nymphadora to alert the others and report straight to me as soon as she has done so."

Professor McGonagall got up and left. Dumbledore turned to me.

"Sarai, I want you to go with the others and stay the night in Gryffindor Tower. Severus will not know where you are, and I would prefer to keep it that way. I think it is him to blame for Mr. Malfoy's disappearance. Stay in Gryffindor Tower with the others, and let me handle getting Mr. Malfoy back."

I stared at the old man in disbelief. He expected me to be a good little girl and let the grownups handle the situation and expect everything to be okay? This was the fucking Dark Lord we were talking about. Nothing was ever okay after he'd done something remarkably evil.

Dumbledore knew I was pissed. "Please, Sarai, I beg you, do not do anything to endanger yourself. This is exactly what Voldemort wants. Don't do anything stupid. Please, for Draco's sake."

Needless to say, I left the office without a word. I followed the others to Gryffindor Tower, still fuming about what Dumbledore told me.

Just be a good little girl, Sarai, and everything will be okay.

"Fuck this," I muttered to myself.

"Did you say something Sarai?" Ginny asked as we all settled in the couches around the roaring fire.

I shook my head. I had a sudden idea.

"Harry, Ginny once told me you had a special map that showed everyone in Hogwarts. Do you still have it?"

Harry glared at Ginny for a moment, as though she betrayed him. She hung her head sheepishly.

"Yeah, why?"

"I was only thinking that maybe Dumbledore might have been wrong about my father not knowing about me being here. If we had the map out, we'd know in advance if he was coming. I'd be able to hide somewhere."

Harry looked at me for a moment, then got up without a word and headed up the spiral stairs. He returned a few minutes later with a tattered piece of parchment.

"The Marauder's Map," he said, handing me the parchment.

I turned it over. It was blank.

"Tap it with your wand and say, '_I solemnly swear I am up to no good,'"_ Harry said, seeing my blank expression.

I tapped it. Instantly, lines fanned out across the parchment and crisscrossed all over it. I studied it eagerly. I quickly found all of our dots, sitting in Gryffindor Tower. I also noted that Lupin was standing guard near my father's office. I couldn't find Tonks though. Dumbledore was in his office, and so were several others. None of the names rung a bell.

"This is pretty awesome, Harry," I said.

"Thanks."

After that, nobody spoke. We were all tense, wondering what Dumbledore was doing to get Draco back. I was almost making myself sick with worry. Just sitting here doing nothing was not my choice plan of action. It was making me mad.

Eventually, the common room emptied out and it was just the five of us. The clock on the mantle read midnight, but I was nowhere near tired. I stared into the fire, thinking about Draco and whether or not he was still alive.

Out of nowhere, I heard his voice in my head, pleading. "_Sarai, if you can hear me, don't do anything stupid. Don't go playing into his hands. It's what he wants. Please, don't risk yourself for me. I'm not worth it. I love you Sarai."_

I started when the clock struck one. I looked around. The others had fallen asleep. I realized I still had the Marauder's Map clutched in my hand. I looked down at it. Lupin was still outside my father's office. My father himself was still in there. Dumbledore was in his office, but the others that were there earlier had vanished. I still couldn't find Tonks. I assumed Dumbledore sent her to try and find Draco.

My anger fizzled again. I was just about fed up with sitting around waiting for Draco to come bursting through the portrait hole alive and well.

I stood up, not thinking of anything but finding Draco. I silently made my way out of the common room, ignoring the Fat Lady when she squawked at me about waking her up. I studied the map again. There was nobody around me. Professor McGonagall wasn't in her office either. I headed that way, still watching the map for any unexplained movement in my direction.

I reached McGonagall's office undisturbed. It was locked, naturally. I took out my wand.

"_Alohomora,"_ I muttered.

With a click, the door unlocked. I stole inside, shutting the door behind me. I looked around. It looked like a typical teacher's office, books all over the place, papers on the desk for grading. A fireplace stood on the wall next to the desk. There was no welcoming fire roaring in the grate. On the mantle stood a small pot.

I crept over to the fireplace, took down the pot, and peered inside. It was full of Floo powder. Just what I was looking for.

I grabbed a fistful and threw it into the fireplace. Instantly, a roaring emerald fire sprang up. Remembering what Harry had said, I stepped into it.

"Riddle mansion!" I called.

I whirled faster and faster and grew dizzy as I watched the numerous fireplaces flash by. My elbow smacked the side of the fireplace, and I tucked it in to myself, cursing at the throbbing pain that now made my whole arm feel like it was about to fall off.

I felt myself slowing down, and I threw out my arms to stop myself from falling headfirst out of fireplace.

The room was darkened, like it was in my vision. The firelight danced on the walls. I thought the room was empty, but as my eyes got used to the gloom, I noticed a darkened heap on the floor in the corner farthest from me.

My heart hammered painfully as I stole across the room and knelt by the heap. I turned the person over.

My stomach somersaulted. It was Draco. He was alive, but was unconscious.

"Draco," I whispered, smoothing his hair off his forehead and wiping the blood from his face with my robes. "What have they done to you?"

Once I had cleared away the blood, I pulled out my wand again.

"_Ennervate,"_ I whispered.

Draco stirred. His eyes opened, and it took him a minute to focus on me. When he realized who I was, he quickly sat up, rubbing his head.

"What are you doing here? It's not safe!" he hissed.

I quieted him. "Like I was going to sit back and let you get killed."

"I'm not the one that's gonna end up being killed. You do realize this is the Dark Lord we're dealing with, don't you?"

I hugged him tightly. "Do you really think I care anymore?"

"Well, well, well. Look who came to join us finally. Looks like you were wrong, Draco," a cold voice sneered.

I turned around slowly. Tall, menacing, evil, the Dark Lord stared down at me, a cruel smile playing about his lips.

The only thought I had was that what I had just said to Draco was severely underestimated. Quite the contrary, I did care. I cared a whole lot. It was a lot different when the goddamn evil bastard was standing over you smiling in a particularly murderous way.

"Fuck," I muttered, moving back into the shadows closer to Draco.

"This should be fun, shouldn't it, Lucius?" The Dark Lord said.

Another man appeared at the Dark Lord's side. Lucius Malfoy, yet another sick, murderous bastard.

Both of them grinned down evilly at us. I knew we were trapped.

What the hell had I just done?


	24. Chapter Twenty Three

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**My Father**

**Chapter Twenty Three**

**Sarai's POV**

"Bloody fucking hell," I murmured, staring up at the two murderous bastards standing over us.

Draco's arm instinctively went around my shoulders, pulling me to him.

"Well done, Draco. You've helped out more than you could ever know," Lucius sneered.

"Go to hell," Draco snapped.

Lucius looked amused. "Really now? Didn't we just punish you for that before your sweet little girlfriend showed up?"

Draco glared at him. "I don't give a damn anymore. I've come to the conclusion that both of you are a bunch of raving, sick fucks, do you know that? I don't give a rat's ass about any of this shit anymore. If you wanna kill me, go right ahead, at least I know it won't be because I was a damn coward."

"Draco, no," I breathed, scooting closer to him.

Lucius looked over at the Dark Lord. "I don't think that he was punished enough, my Lord. What do you think?"

"Far from it, Lucius," the Dark Lord answered, surveying the both of us through those merciless cat eyes of his. "But I don't think he needs to be the one punished."

"Too right you are, master," Lucius sneered, drawing his wand.

As though an invisible person had suddenly grabbed me, I was being jerked up to my feet and pulled over to Lucius. Draco tried to grab me, but when his hand grabbed mine, he let go quickly with a yelp, as though he had been burned.

Lucius grabbed me around the waist and pulled me backwards into him. I could feel his hot breath against my neck as he leaned in towards me.

"I can see why Draco thought you a catch. Quite the pretty little thing, aren't you?" He said, loud enough so that Draco could hear.

Draco tried to get up off the floor, but it was as though someone were holding him down. He struggled as Lucius tightened his hold around my middle and kissed my cheek.

"Get the fuck away from me, you sick bastard," I hissed, trying to free myself from his death hold.

"I don't think so," he sang in my ear, kissing my neck this time.

I felt so dirty. The more I struggled, the more he seemed to become aroused. Draco gave up trying to fight and sat there on the floor helpless. My eyes never left his face. They pleaded with him to do something, anything. Being violated by your boyfriend's father is not exactly something you want to experience anytime soon, believe me.

Then, as though a lightbulb flicked on in Draco's head, his face lit up.

"Hey, Father?"

Lucius lifted his head from my neck. "Yes Draco?"

"Look, I know that you obviously find some sick pleasure in nearly shagging my girlfriend and all-"

I glared at him furiously. He gave his head a tiny shake that told me to go with it.

"And I know that she's obviously very attractive, and that you aren't exactly happy with Mum at the moment, but there's something you should know about Sarai."

Lucius merely looked at him as he resumed ravishing my neck. I glared at Draco, telling him to get a move on and get this sick bastard off me before I had to resort to something drastic, like, say, kicking him as hard as I could in the balls.

"Obviously your good mate here didn't tell you a little something about Sarai."

Lucius lifted his head again and regarded Draco. "Tell me what?"

Draco looked shocked. He remained silent though.

Lucius turned to the Dark Lord. "Master, what haven't you told me about her?"

The Dark Lord's eyes widened.

"You mean you didn't tell my father about Sarai?" Draco gasped, feigning shock.

"Tell me what, Draco?" Lucius said through gritted teeth.

"Well, you see," Draco started, speaking as though he were explaining that one plus one equals two to an extremely emotional four year old, "Sarai here happens to be related to someone you know."

Lucius growled in impatience and went back to my neck.

"The Dark Lord never told you that Snape's Sarai's father, did he Father?" Draco called loudly.

Thank you, Captain Obvious. If Lucius couldn't tell that, then he really was a dense bastard.

Lucius snapped his head up. He glared at Draco, then spun me around quickly to look me over.

"Bloody fuck," he breathed, staring me in the face.

I glared at him. "Let me the fuck go, dammit."

Lucius suddenly slapped me across the face. I fell to the floor, shaking me head, trying to regain my bearings. I felt something sliding down my face. I reached up and wiped it away. It was blood.

I started to crawl back to Draco, but a foot swung out from nowhere and connected with my rib cage.

I fell to the floor again, screaming.

"Sick, sadistic, motherfucking son-of-a-bitch!" I yelled.

Lucius swung out again, but the Dark Lord stopped him. "We don't need to resort to petty Muggle beatings, now do we, Lucius?" he asked silkily.

Lucius glared down at me.

"Go to hell and have fun," I grunted, attempting to get up again.

I managed to crawl over to Draco. He wiped away the blood that I missed and hugged me, careful not to squeeze me too hard.

"Well, I think that we're missing someone here. Someone who should witness dear Sarai's death. After all, it is his fault that she has to die. Lucius, if you will, your arm, please," the Dark Lord said, holding out a hand.

Lucius offered his left arm. The Dark Lord pushed his sleeve back and touched the Dark Mark.

"Now, while we wait, I think a little more fun is in order," the Dark Lord pulled out his wand and approached me. "Stand up."

I didn't move. I simply glared at him.

"You're trying my patience here, Sarai. I would rather wait until your precious father arrives to finish you, but if I have to, I will finish you now, if you want."

I got to my feet slowly, wincing at the pain in my ribs. "Fuck you," I panted.

He raised his wand. "_Crucio!"_

I fell to the floor, screaming. Thousands of knives penetrated my skin, every muscle contracted painfully. It was worse than death. Death would be a release from this. I wanted it to end. Finish me now, that way my dear father won't have to see it.

The curse was lifted, and I laid there, my eyes squeezed shut, panting heavily, trying not to cry, trying not to show my weakness.

"That hurt, didn't it, Sarai?"

"So what if it did? Are you trying to prove that I'm just a fucking mortal? Is that all?" I spat out.

I opened my eyes. Voldemort stood over me, watching me as though he was highly entertained.

"You are nothing but a filthy half-blood. Your mother was a worthless-"

"YOU CAN JUST BLOODY FUCKING SHUT UP ABOUT MY MOTHER! SHE WAS THE GREATEST WITCH IN HER YEAR AT SCHOOL! GO TO HELL!" I screamed.

"You are easily satisfied," Voldemort hissed.

With a faint popping noise, my father suddenly appeared in the shadows. He walked quickly over to the Dark Lord, staring down at me like everyone else.

"How foolish your daughter is, Severus. All it took was a little love to blind her. All thanks to young Mr. Malfoy here, she came right to me. I guess I won't need your help after all."

My father stared down at me, his face showing no sign of emotion. I glared up at him, telling him without words that I loathed him with everything in me.

_It's all your bloody fucking fault, Father. I hope you enjoy watching me die. I hope you feel guilty about it. I hope that Voldemort kills you too, just because he's feeling particularly murderous. You don't give a damn about me. It's always been about you, hasn't it? Well, when I'm gone, maybe you'll realize how fucking stupid you've been. Maybe you'll do yourself in just because you can't stand the guilt. And maybe when you do, when you die, you'll go to hell and suffer as much as I've suffered these past couple of months. Everything was fine and dandy until Mum got sick, and then you had to waltz into my life. How were you capable of love? You certainly haven't showed me any. And you were willing to just hand me over to this stupid bastard. Just proves to me that you favor your own skin over mine. At least I know that Draco will miss me when I'm dead. I know I won't make it out of here alive. And it's all your fault._

Funnily enough, as I thought all this, as I stared into my father's eyes, it was as though he could understand me. I saw the look of surprise on his face, but he didn't break eye contact. I told him off soundlessly, and he understood every word of it.

Just then, a slight diversion was caused by the appearance of four people in the fireplace by means of Floo powder.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny scrambled out of the fireplace, drawing their wands. Voldemort looked as though Christmas had come early.

"And Harry Potter too? My, my, I will have fun tonight," he said gleefully.

The room was suddenly full of yells and blinding light. Everyone started hexing the hell out of each other. I saw Draco dive forward suddenly and snatch his wand as it fell from Voldemort's robes.

"Are you okay?" he yelled over the racket.

"Never been better!" I yelled back, drawing my own wand.

Draco and I ran forward and jumped into the battle. In all the confusion, it was hard to tell who was hexing who. I don't think anyone else knew either. Then I realized that several more people were joining the fray. More Death Eaters, but then, I saw Dumbledore sprinting towards the mass of confusion with several others, including Remus Lupin and Tonks, whose pink hair was visible even through all the blinding light.

I ducked as a spell came rushing towards me, but felt it graze the side of my face. More blood splattered my robes as I fired another spell back. Hex after hex was being hurled at anyone within reach. Draco was doing the same thing. I saw him take one in the side, and he started bleeding too. He didn't seem to notice though.

I looked around for the others. I saw Ginny sprawled on the floor, unconscious. Hermione was dueling with a fierce looking woman, who was laughing maniacally. Ron was dueling two at once, and dodging all over the place to avoid being hit. Harry was trying to knock my father out. He wasn't having a very good time of it though. Dumbledore was battling Voldemort, using spells I've never even seen before.

Voldemort suddenly vanished from the room. Everyone froze, looking around for him. It was weird how everyone just stopped, as though they couldn't fight without Voldemort around. I saw sudden fear in Dumbledore's face, and he looked frantically around for me.

"Sarai, you and the others get out of here! Now! Before he comes back!"

I didn't need twice telling. I darted around the others, motioning for them to follow me. Halfway across the room, I looked back to see if someone grabbed Ginny. I turned back and found myself face to face with Voldemort.

"Time to say good bye to everyone, I think," he said in a sing song voice, his lip curling as he raised his wand.

I knew it was over. I didn't even bother to try and defend myself. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the end.

_Good bye everyone. You'll never know what you've all done for me. Good bye Draco. I love you with everything I have. You were always my other half. Don't forget me, and I will never forget you._

I opened my eyes again, ready to stare death in the face. I wanted to see it coming.

"_Avada Kedavra!"_ Voldemort cried.

A burst of green light erupted from his wand and sped towards me. I braced myself and-

A figure hurtled out of nowhere and jumped in front of me, taking the full effect of the Killing Curse.

Not looking to see who it was, I did the only thing that made sense: I sprinted towards the fireplace, trying to escape death. I had just escaped it, why couldn't I do it again?

I heard the person who took the curse fall to the floor behind me. Not looking back, I kept running. Then, Lucius Malfoy appeared in front of me, his teeth bared.

"I don't think so," he snarled. "_STUPEFY!"_


	25. Chapter Twenty Four

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter may not be mine, but I can still have fun with his world.

**A.N.** The end of what I hope was a great fic for you all to read. It makes me sad since I had so much fun writing this, but it had to end sooner or later. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.

**My Father**

**Chapter Twenty Four**

**Sarai's POV**

"I thought for sure we were all done for."

"She's lucky he dove in there at the last second. We wouldn't be here now if he hadn't."

"I can't believe it's finally over. It just seems like it was meant to go on forever."

Voices were whispering around me, but it didn't make any sense to me. All I knew was that I was alive still, and this definitely was not heaven.

I opened my eyes, looking around at the sources of the voices. Draco was next to my head, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were grouped together at the foot of my bed. Lupin, Tonks and Dumbledore were on my other side.

"Ginny?" I asked.

Dumbledore moved aside so I could see the redhead lying in the bed next to mine.

"How are you feeling?" Tonks asked.

"Weird. I don't hurt, but I don't feel right."

I looked around, piecing everything back together again. Voldemort, Lucius, my father. . .

"What the hell happened?" I asked.

Dumbledore drew up a chair next to my bed.

"You were so incredibly lucky to get out of there alive, Sarai, do you know that?"

I nodded. "Who just said it was finally over?"

Lupin raised a hand. "It's all over."

"You don't mean. . .is he. . .gone?"

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Voldemort finally met his downfall in Harry. Harry got him shortly after Lucius Stunned you. It was, by all means, a sheer stroke of luck for all of us."

I looked down at the end of the bed at Harry. He didn't look as happy as I would have thought him to be for finally ending the Dark Lord.

Cold dread began to gnaw at my insides.

"There's something more, isn't there?"

I looked up at Dumbledore. He looked serious. My brain suddenly registered that there was one person who was not here.

"Wait a second. . .where. . .where's my father?"

Everyone looked away, everyone except Dumbledore.

"He ran in front of you right at the very last second, Sarai. He threw himself in front of you before the Killing Curse got you."

I felt as though I had just been punched in the stomach. "That. . .that was him?"

"Quite the opposite of what I thought he would do. I had little faith left in him at that point. Sarai, Severus jumped in there because he knew that love was far stronger than what Voldemort said. He knew he couldn't live with himself if he allowed Voldemort to kill you. Believe it or not, Severus really did love you, despite what you thought. He gave his life for yours."

"So. . .so he's gone? Just like that, he's gone?"

"I'm afraid so."

It was weird, I didn't feel happy or ecstatic or anything like that. Despite how much I had thought I hated my father, despite him being the stupid bastard that he was, despite everything that he had ever put me through, including being face to face with Voldemort, I realized I didn't hate him. After everything that had ever happened in these past few months, after swearing I would never allow myself to love him, I realized that deep down inside, I really did love him.

My heart clenched with loss for the second time in months.

"Sarai," Draco said, grabbing my hand and squeezing it.

"I'm okay," I whispered, trying really hard not to cry.

"You've suffered far more than most of us here, Sarai. Let it out, you will find that it feels much better to get it out than keeping it inside. I think you will find that Harry might be able to relate to all this. Just don't keep it inside." Dumbledore said, standing up and motioning for Lupin and Tonks to follow him.

Lupin patted me on the arm and Tonks smiled sympathetically at me before following Dumbledore out of the hospital wing.

"You know, I'm really getting sick of this place," I said airily.

"Sarai?" Hermione asked uncertainly.

"Give it time, Hermione, it will catch up to her," Harry said grimly, watching me closely.

I looked all around the place, trying not to focus on any one thing or any one person. I knew if I did, I would lose it. But maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. Hadn't I been through enough to deserve it? I didn't want to keep it all inside anymore, regardless of what I had thought.

"So. . .so he just, ran in there, out of nowhere?" I asked, curious.

Draco nodded. "I thought that was the end. All I saw was the curse headed for you, and I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think. I think the others felt the same way."

Hermione let out a small sob. "It was awful. All I could think was that someone should jump in there, and I actually started to move towards you, but then Snape, he sort of snapped. He was watching, and he wasn't moving, but then, he just sort of came to his senses. I don't think I've ever seen anyone move that fast. It was like he was superhuman, he wasn't there, and then he was."

"And he just took it. There was nothing else to it," Ron said.

"Now I really am alone. And the funny thing is, I don't feel happy about it. All this time, these past couple of months, I just kept wishing that he wasn't around, that he wouldn't keep screwing up my life. I thought I hated him. I was so angry at him for the longest time for messing everything up. And now, now that he's gone, it's like I'd give anything for him to be here with me." I said, letting the tears start to fall.

The others climbed onto the bed with Draco. They all hugged me and did their best to make me feel better.

"Sarai, you will never be alone. Ever. You have us. Whenever there's something wrong, you can come to us. Always. There's no problem we can't fix, right guys?" Draco said.

They all nodded.

"Hey, don't forget about me!" Ginny suddenly called.

Everyone laughed. The tears kept falling, and I knew they would for awhile, but I knew that Draco was right, I wasn't alone. I had him there beside me to catch me when I fell, and I had four caring friends who were there to listen to me when something didn't sit right with me. It would be awhile before I would be able to say I was okay with everything again, but I knew that they would be there beside me through it all.

Madame Pomfrey allowed me and Ginny to leave the hospital wing the next day, since there was nothing really wrong with us. I spent most of my time with the others, not wanting to be on my own. When I was on my own, I cried more often than not, usually right before I went to sleep and when I woke up in the morning.

The week following my father's death seemed almost more difficult to handle than the week after my mother's death. Each morning was a struggle for me. I had to force myself to get out of bed and force myself to face yet another day. Life had never seemed more difficult. I was now parentless, and even though it never really felt like I had a father before he died, now, it was like he was there my whole life and facing life without him was almost too much to bear.

Dumbledore had informed the rest of the school of my father's fate. He begged them not to question me about it, and to just let it be. But nobody seemed to pay him any mind. My third day out of the hospital wing, I hexed the hell out of Pansy Parkinson. She cornered me coming out of the Great Hall that day after I had finished eating dinner. I was headed back down to the common room to finish a bit of homework.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the filthy half-blood that caused her father's death. What was it like, watching him snuff it right in front of you, Sarai? Did you cry? Did you fall to the Dark Lord's feet and beg him to finish you too?"

I stared at her for a moment, my brain registering what she had just said.

"Whatever, Pansy." I made to walk away from her.

"I don't know if I could live with myself if I caused my father's death. I would find a way to end it myself. Hey, I know a great way for you to end it all, Sarai. All you have to do-"

I never found out what I had to do. All I know is that I had a funny ringing in my ears as I turned around and started hexing the hell out of her, anything that came to mind wound up coming out of my wand. When I finished, she resembled not so much as a slug stuffed into robes.

"The next time you try to get my goat, Parkinson, you might want to think about that decision. Otherwise, _you _might be the one that ends up dead."

I realized with a start soon after that Christmas was a mere two weeks away. Normally a happy holiday, I knew it would be far from it now that I had no mother or father to celebrate it with. I stewed about it for several days until Ron and Ginny came to me one morning during breakfast to tell me something.

"Look, we know why you've been in a bad mood for the past couple of days. We know it's gonna be hard for you this Christmas, and we don't want you to be on your own. Come with us to the Burrow and celebrate Christmas with us! Harry and Hermione will be there," Ginny explained.

I looked up into her earnest face. Her eyes were pleading with me to say yes.

I looked over at Draco. He looked sullen.

Ron followed my gaze. "Draco, you come too. We can all spend the holiday together."

Draco looked up, hardly believing his ears. "Really? I can come too?"

"The more, the merrier," Ginny said, grinning.

"Okay. I'm in if Sarai's in."

All three of them looked at me expectantly.

"Okay, okay! How could I refuse?"

We left the castle the day the term ended. We took the train back to London. The ride there was quiet, mostly spent looking out the windows at the opaque landscape. Everyone knew what was on my mind. They were the only two people that had really been on my mind these past couple of weeks. Every night before I fell asleep, during my sleep they were what I dreamed, and every morning when I woke up, they were the first ones on my mind.

"You okay?" Draco asked, invading my thoughts.

"I'm getting there. I was just thinking about the conversation Dumbledore and I had the other day."

There had been something that was bugging me, ever since I had left the hospital wing. When I had that vision of Draco being tortured by the Dark Lord, and when I had silently berated my father before he died, and he had understood every word of it, when I had never even spoke aloud. I went to Dumbledore to ask him about it.

He had found it most interesting. "There is a connection between us and the ones we love the most. At times, when they are in danger, or when the emotions are particularly strong, we can get a sense of what they are feeling or what they are going through. My belief is that the love shared by you and Mr. Malfoy is so strong that you were able to see where he was and what was wrong when he was being tortured. As for you berating your father, you had maintained direct eye contact with him, and you felt so strongly at the time that he was able to understand every word you were thinking. There was love forged there, believe it or not. He knew what was going on inside your head, he felt it too."

I had explained it to Draco when he asked how I knew he was at Riddle mansion. He found it astounding.

"Don't beat yourself up over the thing with your father, Sarai. In the end, he made the ultimate sacrifice." Draco said now.

"Oh, I know. I'm coming to terms with it. I know now that he really did love me. I just wish that I was a little nicer and a little more like a daughter."

"He knew deep down that it was there, he just didn't show it. And who knows? Maybe that connection Dumbledore was talking about works when the person is gone," Draco suggested.

I continued to look out the window. Maybe he was right. Maybe there was a connection there between me and my father. Even if it wasn't, I knew that he and my mother would always be right where I could always find them: in my heart.

I look back at everything now and know that I wasn't alone. Draco stood beside me, my friends stood beside me. My father stood beside me, even though it didn't seem like it.

But in the end, I knew, Severus Snape was my father, and he cared deeply about me. He sacrificed himself for me, and in all in all, there was no greater good of the 'cause' than that. Because I knew, no matter what, he was, and always will be. . .

My father.


End file.
